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The Maine Department of Transportation is moving to slash up to $400 million in projects from its agenda, a shocking and abrupt cutback that is rattling the state’s construction industry at the start of building season.

Roughly $50 million across six pavement projects have already been delayed, according to a memo exclusively obtained by the Bangor Daily News. The agency plans to cut or delay another $150 million in bridge, highway, intersection and multimodal projects later this month. A further $200 million or more in cuts are planned in the next three-year work plan.

Those figures were outlined by Transportation Commissioner Dale Doughty in the May 18 memo to Gov. Janet Mills that has since circulated widely in the transportation sector, which has been getting drip-by-drip details on the wide scope of the cuts over the past three weeks.

It comes at the beginning of the state’s relatively narrow construction season. Companies have hired workers and ordered materials for projects they expected to begin this summer. The severity of the transportation budget problems was not raised to lawmakers during the 2026 legislative session.

Kelly Flagg, executive director of the Associated General Contractors of Maine, called the shortfall “deeply troubling” in a statement.

“We stand ready to work with policymakers, stakeholders, and industry partners to identify both immediate and long-term solutions,” Flagg said. “Maine cannot afford to fall further behind.”

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The cuts stem from a structural funding gap of at least $130 million in the state’s current work plan, according to Doughty’s memo. Losses are magnified because state money from the gas tax and other revenue sources is matched by federal funds. Lawmakers have long grappled with politically difficult long-term problems with the state’s transportation budget.

A Mills spokesperson said Wednesday morning that the administration was working on a response to questions from the BDN. The department says it needs roughly $240 million more in state capital funding annually to maintain the existing system, and that anything less than $200 million will erode it over time.

Doughty’s memo the only near-term solution is a series of bonds beginning as soon as possible. Lawmakers would have to return to Augusta to authorize that if one is going to appear on the November ballot.

BOSTON, MA — An international restaurant group with locations across the globe is preparing to open its first Massachusetts restaurant this year.

LPM Restaurant & Bar, a French Riviera-inspired restaurant founded in London, is set to open on the second floor of the Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street in Back Bay, according to Four Seasons. The hotel lists the restaurant as “Opening Summer 2026,” while the Boston Business Journal reported the restaurant plans to open in September.

The Boston restaurant will mark LPM’s debut in the Northeast and its third U.S. outpost, following locations in Miami and Las Vegas, according to a Four Seasons announcement.

LPM, also known as La Petite Maison, was founded in London in 2007 and is known for French-Mediterranean food, Mediterranean ingredients and dining rooms influenced by Belle Époque design.

The business operates locations in London, Dubai, Miami, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Riyadh, Limassol, Doha, Mykonos, Kuwait, Boston, Maldives and Bangkok.

Four Seasons said LPM will take over the space that formerly housed One Dalton’s breakfast concept, One + One. The restaurant will join other dining options at the hotel, including Zuma and Trifecta.

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Hiking trails are full of history, beauty, and wildlife, but with so many options, it can be hard to choose your next path.

The following are 12 great hikes recommended by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR), Mass Audubon North Shore, Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC), and the Appalachian Mountain Club.

Massachusetts

Skyline Loop Trail in Blue Hills Reservation in Milton

The 2.64-mile Skyline Loop Trail in the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton gives hikers a taste of the longer, nine-mile Skyline Trail. The loop takes hikers over five hills, including Hancock Hill, which was once the farm of John Hancock of Declaration of Independence fame and the first independent governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

There is a tower built by the Civilian Corp of Engineers during the Great Depression, and hikers can look out over Boston and the Harbor Islands

Cedar Swamp Trail in Douglas State Forest in Douglas

As hikers experience the Cedar Swamp Trail, a .5-mile hike, the environment changes from a typical New England mixed hardwood forest into a cedar swamp as Atlantic white cedar and hemlock trees replace oak, maple, birch, beech, and ash.

“The thick growth of these evergreens allows little light to reach the forest floor,” according to DCR. “Keep an eye out for the unique foliage native to the swamp like sphagnum or ‘peat’ moss, skunk cabbage and cinnamon ferns, as well as the wildlife that calls the swamp home.”

Robert Frost Trail in Mount Holyoke Range State Park in Amherst

Fans of Robert Frost can experience nature through the writer’s eyes on this 4-mile hike on the Robert Frost Trail that honors the iconic poet’s Massachusetts connection. Frost spent part of his life in Massachusetts, teaching English at nearby Amherst College.

Hikers can look for a hidden pool and a fork in the road while exploring the interpretive trail, DCR noted, which is an easy to moderate hike.

Read more about these state park hikes: 3 beautiful hikes at Massachusetts State Parks

Rockery Trail at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield

For a unique, family-friendly hike involving rocks, head to the Rockery Trail at Ispwich River Wildlife Sanctuary, according to the Mass Audubon North Shore.

The 1/2-mile trail, the most popular hike at the sanctuary, includes boardwalks and features a rockery built by Thomas Emerson Proctor in 1905. You can climb the large stone structure and also walk through the little tunnel underneath. The wide easy trail is great for all ages.

Professor Chandler’s Long Walk at Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Rowley

Hikers enjoy panoramic views at Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, which includes the scenic Professor Chandler’s Long Walk. The .65-mile easy trail takes hikers out into the Great Marsh, the largest salt marsh in New England, and is great for bird watchers.

The trail is named after Professor Alfred D. Chandler, Jr., who donated much of the land.

Woodland Loop at Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Wenham

The Woodland Loop trail is a universally accessible trail at Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary. The .9-mile trail offers a loop through deciduous and pine forest and opens up to a small meadow at the midpoint.

These All Persons Trails are ADA compliant and include universally accessible interpretive features. Visitors can expect handrails, braille and tactile features, wildlife viewing boardwalks and platforms, audio tour stops, seating, and more, according to Mass Audubon.

Read more about these North Shore trails: 3 beautiful hikes on the North Shore

The Meadow Loop Trail in Great Barrington

Animals lovers will love the accessible half-mile Meadow Loop Trail in the 267-acre Thomas & Palmer Brook Reserve, according to the Berkshire Natural Resources Council. The path, conveniently close to downtown Great Barrington, has excellent wetland and meadow views with benches for resting and taking in the scenery. The trail is also great for beaver watching.

For those who want to keep hiking, the trail connects to the 0.6-mile Woodland Trail and 0.3-mile Whale Rock Trail, both moderate.

Mahanna Cobble Trail in Pittsfield

Those looking for a challenge can tackle the 2.8-mile roundtrip trek on the Mahanna Cobble Trail.

The trail starts at Bosquet Mountain ski area, where hikers climb a beginner-level ski slope before getting into the forest. Hikers are rewarded with views of Kennedy Park, Mass Audobon’s Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, and Yukon Ridge.

Sunset Rock Trail in North Adams

Hikers who tackle the easy 1.6-mile roundtrip Sunset Rock Trail at Hoosic Range Reserve later in the day can take in the Taconic Ridge and Green Mountains and it’s a great place to view the sunset.

For hikers seeking even more great views in the 944-acre reserve, continue on for 3 miles along the Hoosic Range Trail. This trail is considered difficult because of its length, and the 6-mile roundtrip hike is a gradual climb.

Read more about these Berkshires hikes: 3 beautiful hikes in the Berkshires

New Hampshire

Arethusa Falls Trail in Hart’s Location

Hikers on the Arethusa Falls Trail in Crawford Notch State Park are in a for a real treat, according to the Appalachian Mountain Club: New Hampshire’s highest waterfall. It’s a 1.3-mile moderate hike to the near 200-foot waterfall. Once at the waterfall, folks can hike down to the bottom and sit and dip their feet in the water.

The falls were discovered by Edward Tuckerman in 1875, according to visitwhitemountains.com, who named it after a nymph in Greek mythology that turned into a fountain.

Zealand Trail in Bethlehem

Zealand Trail connects to the Appalachian Trail, and hikers get to experience a short section of it before it goes out to Zealand falls. It’s about 2 1/2 miles to the falls.

The Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Maine to Georgia, is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, and the New Hampshire portion offers more miles above the treeline than any other state on the trail, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

There is also an AMC Zealand Falls Hut on the trail, where hikers can stay overnight with a reservation.

Mount Willard Trail in Hart’s Location

Mount Willard’s elevation is 2,865 feet, and the summit is located in Crawford Notch State Park. It is a 1.6-mile moderate hike up to the summit, and hikers follow an old carriage road.

Folks start out at the top of Crawford Notch and hike along forests and along a stream, and there’s a tiny waterfall and an area called the Centennial Pool. Hikers can see the southern end of the Presidential Range, Crawford Notch, Mount Tom, and Mount Willey.

Read more about these hikes in the White Mountains: 3 beautiful hikes in the White Mountains

Kristi Palma

Travel writer

 

Kristi Palma is the travel writer for Boston.com, focusing on the six New England states. She covers airlines, hotels, and things to do across Boston and New England. She is the author of the award-winning Scenic Six, a weekly travel newsletter.

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