The Maine Department of Transportation announced on May 18 that it is preparing to cut up to $400 million in planned projects. In a memo to Gov. Janet Mills (D), Transportation Commissioner Dale Doughty noted that six pavement projects worth an estimated $50 million had already been delayed, with additional plans to cut or delay $150 million worth of bridge, highway, intersection, and multimodal work by the end of June. The remaining reductions would be spread out in the three-year work plan.
Commissioner Doughty said the agency is facing a $170 million annual shortfall, and recommended issuing a series of bonds immediately to jumpstart revenue.
Without the additional revenue, the commissioner warned that “a serious decline in our existing highway and bridge infrastructure is inevitable.”
The state legislature ended it’s session in April. In order to get the bond measure on the November ballot, state leaders would need to call lawmakers back to the capitol.
Aug. 3 Update: Gov. Mills allocated $136 million in surplus General Fund revenue to the state department of transportation to resume many of the projects that had been delayed or cut.