RICHMOND -- Outraged local residents joined some public safety officials in blasting a state proposal to detour traffic through Gardiner and Topsham from a proposed closure of both southbound lanes of Interstate 295 this summer.

Critics said the plan would save money, but could cost lives.

Officials, including an accident reconstruction expert and multiple fire chiefs, said the plan could put local lives at risk and said Wednesday's public informational session was the first time they'd been told, directly, about the plan.

Ultimately, the decision whether to pursue the plan to close the southbound lanes this summer, which would greatly speed reconstruction of the road, rests with Department of Transportation Commissioner David Cole.

"Should Richmond or Bowdoin or Bowdoinham lose one of its sons or daughters at an intersection this summer (on U.S. Route 201, where much of the traffic would be detoured), the blame for that death will lay at the feet of the commissioner, if this plan goes forward as is," said Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham. "The DOT needs to come forward with a different plan."

DOT officials told approximately 100 people from several towns at the meeting Wednesday the final decision hasn't been made.

But, for now, they said they'll continue to pursue the plan, as is, because if they wait, they say they won't have enough time to complete the repairs to the interstate.

The roadway is deteriorating rapidly.

Joyce Taylor, assistant bureau director of project development for the Maine Department of Transportation, said a chemical reaction is occurring in the concrete under the surface of I-295, causing it to fall apart so much that the project, which normally would take much longer to plan, is on a fast track to get done this summer.

"It's not lasting. The action is making the concrete crumble into dust," Taylor said. "Right now, it's driving very smoothly. It's the concrete that's underneath that's falling apart.

"We are up against it, I'll be honest with that. At the rate the concrete is falling apart, we may be in a situation where we have to close it down anyway."

The project would close the southbound lanes of the highway -- a major commuter link between Portland and central Maine -- from June 15 to about Aug. 31.

Reconstructing the lanes in a more conventional manner -- such as only closing one lane to traffic -- would extend the project to as long as three years, Taylor said.

Dana Hanks, DOT systems safety manger, said at peak traffic times, an estimated 1,800 vehicles an hour use I-295 in the proposed repair area.

He said projections indicate at least 30 percent of that traffic would take the Maine Turnpike instead of local detours if I-295 is closed off. Hanks said Route 201 is underutilized and capable of handling the remainder of the detoured traffic.

DOT officials said Route 201's peak traffic would be similar to peak summer traffic on U.S. Route 1 in parts of Maine.

Several Route 201 residents expressed concern about safety, congestion and pollution.

"I think you're jeopardizing safety over economics here," said Richmond resident Steve Musica, who lives on the route.

DOT officials said the project is fairly far along in the planning process, but acknowledged they had not yet had time to contact regional public safety officials to seek their input.

That didn't sit well with many in attendance, including a state police accident reconstructionist and local fire chiefs.

Local authorities said the DOT should install traffic signals at major Route 201 intersections. But DOT officials said traffic signals tend to increase the number of accidents, even while acknowledging signals can decrease the severity of accidents.

"There have been fatalities there already. I'd rather have more cuts and bruises than have somebody die," Richmond Fire Chief Andy Pierce said, speaking in favor of more traffic signals at the intersection of Route 201 and 197.

The state estimates the cost of rebuilding the double-lane concrete highway at $32 million.

Taylor said the concrete would be "rubblized" -- essentially broken up, ground and used as filler -- then topped by asphalt.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com