Dear Bates Community,

I write to alert the Bates community that the City of Lewiston will begin a major infrastructure project on Central Avenue starting next Monday, April 20, 2026, that we can expect to run into September 2026.

Central Avenue will be fully closed to vehicle traffic during active construction. There will be no through traffic and no parking on Central Avenue while work is underway. Please use existing Bates parking lots and heed local parking signage; note that winter parking restrictions on several streets adjacent to campus were lifted on April 1 for the spring.

Students in John Bertram Hall will be able to access the parking lot throughout construction as local traffic. Access routes may vary day to day depending on where active work is taking place. Access may be restricted and may change over the course of the project. Bates, working with the city, will provide signage and updates.

Vehicle access to campus from Russell Street will be rerouted through Lafayette Street and College Street. There will be two brief water shutdowns during the project; we will provide advance notice before each instance. Commons operations will not be interrupted. The loading dock will remain accessible at all times for deliveries and service vehicles. Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout, though routes may shift as the work progresses. Students in John Bertram Hall and 96 Campus Ave. should expect to cross Central Avenue at Commons or at Campus Avenue.

The work includes repaving the street, adding curbing, and adding sidewalks. While this work is performed Lewiston will replace the water main and rebuild the street and drainage system from Campus Avenue to Russell Street. Related to this work will be a Bates project to upgrade the drainage from the roadway to Lake Andrews. This is a City of Lewiston project, separate from our Stoddard Center construction, though our Facility Services team is coordinating closely with the city and their contractor to minimize disruption. We are in close communication with Lewiston and will share updates as we have them.

Questions can be directed to Mike Walsh in Facility Services at 207-786-6207. This message, and future Bates updates, will be posted on the Finance and Administration website. The city will have updates and announcements in news releases, social media, and the Lewiston Public Works website.

Thank you for your patience as this important infrastructure work moves forward.

Gratefully,

Geoffrey Swift