SOUTHWEST HARBOR — The Maine Department of Transportation has decided to repair the broken Seawall Road in Southwest Harbor. The repairs are estimated to be between $900,000 and $1 million.
In a July 15 letter to Southwest Harbor Town Manager Marilyn Lowell, Maine DOT Deputy Commissioner Dale Doughty wrote, “We have heard your comments, concerns, and recommendations for how to move forward. We have heard just how important this road is to your communities, and the impacts that the closure has had to date. We have also carefully considered traffic impacts, engineering and environmental concerns, options to improve resiliency, and the financial options available.”
Given all of that, he went on, “we have made the decision to move forward with the restoration of Seawall Road, with some additional features to improve the road’s resiliency to future storm events.”
The road, which is a state road that runs through Southwest Harbor to national park land, was destroyed in a series of winter storms.
The Seawall Road links Southwest Harbor to the Bass Harbor Head lighthouse, popular trails (Wonderland and Ship Harbor), and Acadia National Park’s Seawall campground and picnic area, and it was severely damaged from winter storms. There are business and community connections to the road as well. To work on the road, Maine DOT had to receive permission from the park.
Doughty’s proposal states that the state would fully repair the road in spring 2025 and add resiliency features.
“To prepare for the likelihood that this road will be damaged again, over the 2024-2025 winter, MaineDOT will enter into an agreement with the Town of Southwest Harbor and the National Park Service that will confirm a joint partnership to address damage from future storm events beyond the 2025 repair,” he wrote.
He also said that if Southwest Harbor and local contractors wish to make a temporary fix for the rest of this summer, “MaineDOT would work with the town to develop an agreement. Southwest Harbor would be responsible for contractor oversight, environmental compliance, and safety. MaineDOT could assist with signage.”
Three local contractors — John Goodwin, BFP Trucking, and Doug Gott and Sons — have said that they would temporarily fix the road. At a meeting with the Maine DOT, one resident and business owner threatened a lawsuit.
“There is still much work to do and we are continuing our work and push for a temporary opening this summer, hopefully, thanks to local contractors, we are closing in on making it a reality,” the Town of Tremont wrote in a Facebook post.
Recommendations for next steps include those contractors potentially making temporary repairs to make the road passable and developing agreements between the state and the National Park Service and the Town of Southwest Harbor about the road’s sustainability
The memo accompanying the letter suggests the state pursues Federal Emergency Management Agency funding and also secure a renewed special use permit from the National Park Service to make the repairs.
This story was originally published by The Bar Harbor Story. To receive regular coverage from the Bar Harbor Story, sign up for a free subscription here.
