MaineDOT wins federal court docket case to interchange Frank J. Wooden Bridge over Androscoggin River. Criminal battles over neighborhood historical past and bridge rehabilitation vs. alternative ongoing. Building ongoing since spring 2023, scheduled for finishing touch through overdue 2026 with enhanced design options for protected, dependable crossing.
Photograph courtesy of MaineDOT
Development continues at the Frank J. Wooden Bridge mission underneath the course of Reed & Reed.
A federal appeals court docket in Boston has affirmed a decrease court docket’s resolution supporting the Maine Division of Transportation’s deliberate alternative of the Frank J. Wooden Bridge over the Androscoggin River connecting the cities of Brunswick and Topsham, MaineDOT introduced in a Jan. 13 information unlock.
The First Circuit U.S. Court docket of resolution, issued on Jan. 10, upholds a U.S. District Court docket ruling that used to be passed down in January 2024.
“This newest ruling reaffirms that the verdict to interchange the Frank J. Wooden Bridge, fairly than rehabilitate the prevailing construction, used to be and is the easiest way to proceed to offer a protected and dependable connection between the villages of Brunswick and Topsham,” commented MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Be aware.
“That is the 8th court docket ruling since 2020 that helps the brand new bridge resolution made through the state and federal transportation officers after an in depth public and allowing procedure. Whilst a petition to the U.S. Excellent Court docket to request additional attraction is conceivable, we are hoping that the consistency and energy of the prior prison rulings, the low chance of good fortune of such petitions, and the well-liked fortify for the brand new bridge will lead the plaintiffs to conclude that it’s time to finish this long and dear prison procedure.”
Portland’s WCSH-TV famous that quite a lot of teams within the space have fought in opposition to the whole alternative of the previous bridge, pronouncing it is a part of the neighborhood’s historical past and might be rehabilitated as an alternative of changed.
In spite of the prison maneuvering, alternatively, paintings has persevered to development since spring 2023 on developing the brand new river crossing.
The Frank J. Wooden Bridge is a three-span, thru truss bridge that has carried U.S. Freeway 201 automotive site visitors over the river because it used to be opened in 1932.
Because of its being over 90 years previous, even though, the previous bridge has important structural problems. MaineDOT famous that it’s fracture important and rated in deficient situation. Since November 2021, the company has prohibited all industrial site visitors from the usage of the present bridge.
MaineDOT started the method to toughen the crossing in 2014. Then again, prison and procedure delays thru a length of ordinary development inflation led to the brand new bridge prices to greater than triple authentic conceptual estimates.
In spite of everything, in February 2023, a freelance for the alternative construction used to be awarded to Reed & Reed Inc. in within reach Woolwich for $49.9 million.
On-site development at the alternative bridge started in April 2023, in keeping with MaineDOT, and metal beams are recently being positioned at the new piers and abutments. All paintings related to the development contract is scheduled to be completed in overdue 2026, however the brand new bridge is anticipated to be open to site visitors previous than that.
The transportation division mentioned that when the brand new bridge is entire, the communities of Brunswick and Topsham will probably be attached through a protected and dependable span situated on a curved upstream alignment that can function improvements asked through an area design advisory committee.
Designed and constructed to ultimate for a minimum of 100 years, the alternative bridge may have sidewalks on each side with pedestrian viewing bump-outs, wider shoulders on each side, parks at every finish, particular railings, lighting fixtures, quite a lot of different design main points and unobstructed perspectives of the herbal and architectural options of the encircling Pejepscot Falls website.
