RT 16 north of Berlin closed

[peakbagger]

For those who may be driving up to the far north country of NH (lake Unbagog region) or the back way to Rangley (or Eustis). RT 16 north of Milan is closed due to a landslide. There is a fairly long detour over Rt 110 A & B but if you have choice, look for an alternate route. WIth the detour, it is just about as fast to drive RT 110 and cut across 110A in West Milan or take RT 110 over from RT 3.

Unlike other parts of the state, there doesnt seem to be a lot of info or urgency on getting a major tourist thoroughfare reopened or when it may happen.

 

[MadRiver]

Thanks. My wife's uncle and aunt were heading to Rangley tomorrow morning so I gave them the heads up. They will now go through Bethel.

 

[carole]

we knew about the detour but didn't find it all that long or inconvenient on Sat.

 

[audrey]

Peakbagger, what happened? I've driven that road so many times and can't remember an area that would slide!?

 

[arghman]

the innkeeper at Stark Village Inn told me there was a washout of the road in a place where there are natural springs, so to fix it requires some extra design / reconstruction / relocation work.

RT 16 north of Milan is closed due to a landslide.

south of Milan? I was told it was near the meadows of the Bofinger recreation area.

 

[Paradox]

I was just looking at Google maps and see that it takes a few minutes less to go from Gorham Rt 2/Glen Road intersection via rt 2 to rt 17 to Eustice ME than it does through Milan on Rt 16.

 

[vegematic]

I was just looking at Google maps and see that it takes a few minutes less to go from Gorham Rt 2/Glen Road intersection via rt 2 to rt 17 to Eustice ME than it does through Milan on Rt 16.

Mind you there is construction on RT 2 between the state line and West Bethel. Also we had a train derailment in Gilead on Saturday that is still being cleared. Expect delays on that route.
-vegematic

 

[Breeze]

I had to take the North Country Scenic Route Tour to get home from work Saturday night ( Pinkham Notch to West Bethel via Berlin, Errol, Upton and Newry). I actually ENJOYED it!!!!

The Milan detour is not onerous, probably 10 minutes, tops. It was really a pretty drive, I thought. When you re-enter 16 at the north end of the detour there is an AWESOME osprey nest " in your face" on the power line poles. You can't miss it unless you are traveling in the dark. This season's fledgling was in the nest with a parent when I happened upon the scene, the other parent was "fishing" just upriver.

Honestly, please don't think that 2 east from the NH line over to Bethel is "a better way". I call it the war zone, I travel it twice a day 5 days a week. Construction, bad road surfaces, dirt road, one-way stops and starts, blasting zones, tree felling, bulldozing, bridge reconstruction, culvert replacement, Fairpoint Utility work, and NOW the Gilead Train Derailment.... fuggetabout it.

16 North after Berlin is still "one with nature" in comparison to the raw mechanical brutality of 2 East. At least that is my opinion after I chose to drive it... I didn't much care for the hour and 45 minute roundabout but at least it was restorative and fun in a pastoral sense.

No way was I doing the N Conway route on a Saturday late afternoon in August. Just. NO. Way. It would have been the same mileage, but significantly more wear on my patience.

Breeze

 

[Mattl]

Someone get a picture!

 

[carole]

News report from Aug. 5

 

[RoySwkr]

I was just looking at Google maps and see that it takes a few minutes less to go from Gorham Rt 2/Glen Road intersection via rt 2 to rt 17 to Eustice ME than it does through Milan on Rt 16.

Interesting, I tried Google Maps and from Plymouth to Eustis it suggests Rte 16 through Errol

But ask from Gorham to Eustis and it sends you Rte.2 to Bethel as 2 minutes faster, that's how slow driving crosstown in Gorham is

I have always used the Errol route to that area for the scenery, wouldn't care if Rte. 2 was a few minutes faster

From Plymouth, I would now stay on Rte 3 to Groveton and across

 

[peakbagger]

There is an article in todays Berlin Daily Sun, that the road will be reopened by winter. The state is going to relocate a very long section of the road away from the river. They are also planning to do some upgrades to the detour route (as its in pretty rough shape). Peer my prior suggestion, IMHO consider the RT 3 to Groveton, Rt 110 to West Milan and then RT 110 A to RT 16 north of the detour, is the best option for folks coming over the west with RT 110 from Berlin to RT110A in West Milan for folks coming from the south.

 

[RoySwkr]

Went to have a look at this on Sunday and it wasn't nearly as bad as I imagined. The road is far enough from the river there that little if any of the landslide went into river. Only one lane is undermined and traffic could be run on the other lane if necessary. Apparently the outside lane has been settling for a long time as there was a good 18" of asphalt there from shimming over the years - probably far more than the rest of the road. Talked to a guy who was one of the last to drive by before they closed it and he said the last shim was only a month old.

There are a couple of new utility poles set in the middle of the old pavement and lots of survey flags in the woods. Another guy who stopped by said his company won the bid for the project last week and is supposed to be done by Oct. 31 - surely one of the quickest highway bids ever.

The landslide is only about .2 miles S of the junction of 16 and 110-A so it's an easy walk if you choose not to drive around the barrier there.

 

[Stan]

The landslide is only about .2 miles S of the junction of 16 and 110-A so it's an easy walk if you choose not to drive around the barrier there.

Are you saying it is possible to ignore the barrier and get through by car or are you referring to the detour peakbagger describes?

That detour doesn't seem like it takes you that far out of your way and I prefer the scenery along this route, which I will follow enroute the Gathering.

 

[RoySwkr]

Are you saying it is possible to ignore the barrier and get through by car or are you referring to the detour peakbagger describes?

It is easy to drive around the wooden detour barriers to see the washout - people were doing it from both directions, and also some were walking down.

The washout itself has concrete Jersey barriers adjacent so you can't go through, of course once construction starts the situation will be different.

That detour doesn't seem like it takes you that far out of your way and I prefer the scenery along this route, which I will follow enroute the Gathering.

The official detour isn't bad for cars and there are better ones depending on where you are going. It is a pain for log trucks from Errol to Berlin as they have a narrow twisty road over hills instead of a nice road along the river, and I hear that Rte 110-B is getting pounded to pieces.

 

[RoySwkr]

Drove over new road on Sunday, all done. Didn't move as far from river as I thought. Still tourists viewing landslide.