Maine residents should expect to see some bridge construction in the Brunswick and Topsham region this summer as the Frank J. Wood Bridge gets a much needed replacement.
The $49.9 million project is expected to begin towards the end of June, according to the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT). The general contractor for the replacement project is Reed & Reed.
Drivers can expect traffic closures in late 2024 or early 2025, with the replacement expected to be completed in 2026.
The original structure was built in 1932, and clocks in at 805 feet. The new bridge will have a simpler design, taking away the old bridge's triangular superstructure.
A local group, however, has requested a federal injection to stop the replacement project.
The Friends of Frank J. Wood Bridge is advocating for repairs to the historic bridge instead of the replacement, citing that rehabilitation of the structure is less expensive. The group filed a lawsuit that delayed the project numerous times, and filed for a federal injunction to stop construction altogether earlier this year. A ruling on the injunction is expected in about a month.
MDOT set a weight limit of 10 tons on the bridge in October 2021, meaning larger vehicles such as fire trucks and commercial trucks cannot utilize it.
The new bridge is expected to last 100 years. It will have sidewalks on both sides, bicycle lanes, “bump-outs” for pedestrian viewing, wider shoulders, parks on both ends and “unobstructed views of the natural and architectural features of the surrounding Pejepscot Falls,” according to MDOT.
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Source: CentralMaine.com
