Those big rig drivers are going to just LOVE that roundabout . NOT !!! I can hardly wait to hear their comments about it.

Who ever designed that roundabout for the new border crossing should never ever be allowed to design anything in the line of transportation again.

Who ever signed off on that joke and allowed tax payers dollars to fund it should be deported to an isolated island.

Amazing, Canada builds a limited access highway to the new bridge, a new border crossing building complex, half the bridge for less than the US spent to build their side. With a lot more to show for it.

Bridge opens at 9:00 AM Monday. First accident by 9:15 Monday.

I wonder if the Canadian side is going to open as well? I hope so - otherwise I see problems the Dept. of Homeland Insecurity may have overlooked... :-)

waste of money

A third bridge isn't a waste of money, but that roundabout sure was! They had plenty of land to make it bigger...they bought the house that was on the east side of the road. Now the traffic jams will start in Moosehorn. MUCH better, geniuses!

Anyone who feels this is a waste of money either doesn't live in the area or lives under a rock. I have said for years that if the wrong two trucks ever come together in the wrong place, there would be nothing left but a big hole. If people on North St in Calais or King St in St. Stephen knew what was going by their door 24/7 they wouldn't sleep at night.

As far as the roundabout goes, we have been hauling a trailer around it since it was built and have no problems at all. Give it a chance. Once the traffic patterns adjust to the new bridge, it won't be an issue. And yes, the Canadian side will be open at the same time.

They did have more land to make the roundabout bigger, but they would have had to take some wetlands and they didn't want to get into that. Great planning, every storm we get they have to go clean the snow from the outer edges of it because they can't wing it back like a normal road due to the light posts being right there. But hey, if one of the drivers hauling 120'+ long windmill blades can navigate it then I think someone in a 53' box trailer should be ok.

i've never seen or heard so many people whine about a silly round about in my life. i guarantee that less accidents will be caused by it then if a traffic light was there.

give me a round about over a traffic light any day of the week.

A slightly rotary would have been better, but we got what we got thanks to Calais. BTW, how long until they close Milltown, since it is very close and small. It is a shame that the by-pass wasn't at the REAL end of the airline. It would have allowed quicker by-passing of Calais altogether!

I am amazed at the lack of thought that went into the "roundabout" Seems like an engineer gave us the "runaround"!! If I recall correctly, Calais Port of Entry is the 5th busiest port int he northern tier. Well, everyone will come down a ramp(2 lanes) funnel into one lane, then into the infamous roundabout. I was told that the design works with commercial vehicles, and that their rear tandems can ride up onto the inner curbing. Also was told that there is one in Lewiston. Well, I've "been there, seen that" (with a bit rig), and, yes, it does work. The MAIN DIFFERENCE being that the Lewiston runaround is smack dab in the middle of an urban area, and that the Calais runaround(sorry,folks,just seeems like runaround is more apropo) had plenty of room to allow for major traffic concerns. H--l, even an intersection with a stoplight would have worked better. BTW, I believe it's the MDOT engineers that designed this "Modern Marvel"!They sure earned their 6 digit salary on this one

What worries me more than the roundabout is what MDOT plans to do with US Rte 1 from the new bridge to the intersection of Rte 9. Their plan is to make that stretch into a 5 lane road with 2 lanes north, 2 lanes south and the center lane being for left turns. They also plan to have a posted speed limit of 60 mph. They claim that they have enough right of way to be able to complete the project without needing to purchase/expropriate any land. I first heard this plan from MDOT reps at a PAC meeting that was held during the planning stages.

I have seen and driven on these 5 lane roads many times but usually within city limits and certainly not with a speed limit of 60 mph. Development will be such that every last chance gas stop, liquor barn and fireworks outlet will setup up creating a suicide strip. My personal vote for location would definetly have been the end of Rte 9 but for some reason they didn't ask for my opinion.

They couldn't put the bridge at the end of the Airline because of the wetland there. Nevermind what the mill was putting into that wetland for years, but that's another issue.

This bridge had to be built...the roundabout just needed to be bigger. I'll take it.

accidents will be a common sight at the roundabout because all 3 access points are yield and people have been blowing through the thing not having to really watch for bridge traffic for quite some time now.

Wow!!! I am amazed at all of you educated people that have nothing better to do than sit around on your duffs and complain about this issue. This rotary is similar to ones in other parts of the State and has been working quite well.

Why is it that you all point out the negative and cannot see the positive, like for instance the amount of jobs that it has brought to this area? And by that I mean locals that were hired and not just for the construction alone but permanent jobs with CBP. But none of you pea brains are thinking of that are you? Or about how many of the laid of mill workers actually applied for a job at CBP and got hired? Well if it wasn’t for this bridge they wouldn’t still be in this area would they? I believe that the main reason for this bridge was for the transport trucks, was it not? And they don’t seem to have a problem; if they can turn the corner from Main Street to South Street surely they can handle this. That is if the rest of traffic can follow the speed limits which I know that they have been.

Get a grip!!!