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Anyone who regularly drives through Livermore Falls is well familiar with road conditions and traffic on Park Street between Shuy Corner and up past the
Chuck Wagon Restaurant heading toward Jay.
Over the next two years, the Maine Department of Transportation plans to reconstruct more than a mile of that stretch of Route 17 to bring it up to federal highway safety standards.
As part of the preparation for the project, MDOT representatives explained to local officials that the heavy equipment required for the work will stress the current road, prompting the Livermore Falls Water District to think about the condition of the sewer pipes running underneath the pavement.
The district hired a company to thread cameras through about 40 sections of sewer lines, which represents a fraction of the lines in use, and found that 25 of them are collapsing.
Sewer Superintendent Mark Holt warned the Select Board that when MDOT brings in equipment to tear up pavement and compact the ground, the sewer lines could collapse.
To avert major damage, the district has decided to launch its own project at the same time to upgrade sewer lines. A proposal to have residents share the $2.35 million cost, whether or not they are water district customers, was recently rejected.
Voters overwhelmingly decided that ratepayers — only the people who are district customers — should pay the whole bill. It means higher rates for customers after a 7.8 percent increase just two years ago.
The good news is the project is expected to extend the system’s life by 50 years.
There is good news in Norway, too, where the Police Department will continue Operation Sandbox, a program that provides free buckets of salt and sand to elderly residents and others in need.
Residents who want a bucket should call the Town Office, and a police officer will deliver it to the caller's home.
In Waterville and Jay, the housing outlook is grim. Both communities are working to address the high cost of housing, but solutions remain elusive and progress is slow as winter sets in.
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Jay may take up rent stabilization for mobile home parks: A new state law has prompted park owners to raise rents — some by double
digits — straining homeowners’ ability to pay. Read this story by Bob Neal
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Norway to continue providing free buckets of salt and sand to residents in need: Residents were warned at this week’s Select Board meeting that police will enforce the winter parking ban to keep streets clear for plow trucks. Read this story by Jon Bolduc
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Dozens of sewer lines along a stretch of Route 17 in Livermore Falls are considered ‘collapsing’: Heavy equipment that will soon be brought in to rebuild the road is expected to compact and crush the remaining lines, forcing replacement of 1.3 miles of sewer line. Read this story by Ben Hanstein
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Waterville Impact Task Force working on strategy to address growing homelessness: Last winter, the city tracked 27 homeless people. This year, the number is estimated at 43, underscoring the need for solutions. Read this story by Charley DiAdamo
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While The Maine Monitor does not place its content behind paywalls, some newsrooms we link to in this newsletter may.
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Paris will start 2026 with a new select board, capping off a tumultuous year. | Advertiser Democrat
West Paris is hoping to get its post office back next year. | Bethel Citizen
Farmington has a plan to renovate ‘The Dragon’s Nest’--the state’s first public skateboard park. | Franklin Journal
More than 3,500 acres of privately held land near the South Branch of the Dead River is now protected by a conservation easement. | Maine Public
RSU 73 is one of the school districts responding to a lawsuit filed by the Maine Human Rights Commission. | The Maine Monitor
The district chose to keep its policy in place. | WMTW
Rumford is adding housing, with eight developments moving toward completion. | Rumford Falls Times
A fire at a Rumford business closed Route 2 and drew firefighters from seven towns. The blaze is estimated to have caused at least $1 million of damage. | Sun Journal
Rural Maine communities face ever-growing challenges. | The Maine Monitor and Bangor Daily News
Food pantries in Franklin County are offering additional support as winter arrives. | Franklin Journal
Skowhegan residents to vote on River Park lease agreement next week | Morning Sentinel
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Have feedback, a correction or know of something we should look into? Send it to our newsroom. You can reach Monitor Local editor Judy Meyer directly via email: judy@themainemonitor.org.
The Maine Monitor is a publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an independent and nonpartisan nonprofit news organization that produces investigative journalism. We believe news is a public good and keep our news free to access. We have no paywall and do not charge for our newsletters. If you value the reporting we do for Maine, please consider making a donation! We cannot do this reporting without your support.
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