Construction to extend the mile-long Brewer Riverwalk is beginning sooner than expected.
Maine Earth, a Hampden-based contractor, will begin work on the next phase of the paved walking path along the Penobscot River on Monday, Aug. 8, the Maine Department of Transportation said Tuesday.
Work will begin at Hardy Street by Mason’s Brewing Company and continue for 900 feet south along the Penobscot River to South Main Street, according to the transportation department.
During construction, the shoulder of South Main Street, which is also Route 15, will be closed.
The work comes earlier than expected, as construction on the extension was initially slated to begin in spring 2023.
As with the rest of the Riverwalk, the 10-foot-wide walking path will be paved and have lighting, Wi-Fi, benches and trash cans.
The state and city will split the $578,547 cost. The Department of Transportation expects construction to finish on Sept. 20.
This extension is the third section of the Brewer Riverwalk, which has become a source of pride for the city since the first section was built in 2018.
The first section starts at Hardy Street, by Mason’s, and extends north to the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge, which carries traffic across the river between Bangor and Brewer.
The next phase, unveiled in 2019, allowed the path to run through the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge to Veteran’s Park.
