‘It ruined my retirement’: Locals who fought I-395 connector for years now dread its opening

New I-395 extension opens in Brewer after decades of planning

A new 6-mile I-395 extension from Brewer to Eddington opened Friday, easing truck traffic by connecting Route 9 directly to the interstate.

‘It ruined my retirement’: Locals who fought I-395 connector for years now dread its opening

Richard Hatch’s backyard had been a space for him to relax while watching deer and listening to the serene sounds that come from the wooded area for the past two decades. But over the past year, his backyard has been overrun by the sound of heavy machinery and construction workers who spent the last year digging, building, paving and painting the connector between Interstate 395 and Route 9. “It ruined my retirement,” Hatch said. Hatch is one of…