FARMINGTON – A section of High Street between Middle and Lincoln Street will be closed to traffic Wednesday, as trenching associated with the construction of the new University of Maine at Farmington central heating plant begins.
The road will be closed from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 5 in order to bury piping associated with a liquid heating loop that will tie 24 UMF buildings to a 5,800-square-foot biomass boiler plant under construction at the corner of Quebec and Perkins Street. The $11 million project is expected to save UMF approximately 400,000 gallons of heating oil and $900,000 annually. Currently, UMF uses 86 percent oil, 8 percent propane and 6 percent geothermal to heat its buildings. Once the plant is built, 3 percent oil, 10 percent propane, 8 percent geothermal and 79 percent wood will be used.
Additional road closures will be necessary as project construction continues through the summer and fall. In the case of bad weather, a statement released by UMF Monday afternoon said, road closures will be postponed until the next available day with acceptable weather.
The statement also said that UMF regretted any inconvenience to members of the public the closure might cause.
UMF can be contacted at 778-7006 for more information about the closures.
