Non permanent bridge being put in in Outdated City forward of main alternative
A brief bridge being in-built Outdated City will possible open to site visitors in April, after which alternative of the deteriorating Llewellyn G. Estes Memorial Bridge will start, Maine’s transportation company mentioned Friday.
Woolwich-based Reed & Reed, Inc. started website preparations and establishing site visitors management signage July 24. Now the contractor is working to put in a two-way, non permanent bridge forward of the long-anticipated main alternative.
The Llewellyn G. Estes Memorial Bridge consists of two constructions that carry Stillwater Avenue throughout the Stillwater River. It’s greater than 70 years outdated and thought of structurally poor.
The bridge was slated for alternative as a part of a multi-year, $20 million venture, however the Maine Division of Transportation rejected all bids after they got here in practically double the budgeted quantity, delaying work for about two years. Now the venture has a clearer timeline and price ticket.
The bridge alternative is estimated to price $28,787,000, mentioned Damian Veilleux, a Maine DOT spokesperson.
“This [temporary bridge] will take away weight restrictions on Stillwater Avenue,” he mentioned, referring to the 30-ton restrict added to the bridge’s northernmost span final July. “We hope to begin building of the everlasting alternative bridges shortly after the non permanent bridge is open to site visitors, though this schedule remains to be being finalized.”
In a just lately up to date building schedule, the venture is cut up into two components — one costing about $10,600,000 and the opposite $18,100,000. The Maine DOT will promote the work in late October.
Bridge initiatives are sometimes funded 80 % by the Federal Freeway Administration and 20 % by the state, Veilleux mentioned. This venture was considered one of 9 all through Maine that obtained a $42 million INFRA, or Infrastructure for Rebuilding America, grant in 2020, and all initiatives will share the funding, he mentioned.
Town of Outdated City will not be funding the bridge alternative, he mentioned.
The U.S. Senate Appropriations committee just lately endorsed a invoice together with $15.75 million for the bridge alternative championed by Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the highest Republican on the panel. It should now head to the Senate and Home of Representatives for full passage.
Earlier this yr, the Maine DOT was contemplating the usage of GBeams from Brewer-based producer Superior Infrastructure Applied sciences, that are fiber-reinforced polymer bridge beams.
The expertise, which the corporate developed with College of Maine researchers, is designed to final a long time longer than conventional metal and concrete constructions, proof against corrosion and requires little upkeep, in line with Superior Infrastructure Applied sciences.
The corporate filed for chapter 11 chapter final month.
It’s unclear whether or not the GBeams will nonetheless be used, and the Maine DOT remains to be one of the best supplies for the bridge alternative, Veilleux mentioned.
“We’re dedicated to utilizing new applied sciences obtainable to the transportation business to design and construct extremely corrosion-resistant bridges,” he mentioned. “We’re specializing in the usage of merchandise which have been developed by UMaine.”
