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Maine DOT Continues Work to Replace Bridges

The Maine Department of Transportation is continuing its efforts to replace Maine's rural network of iconic, green, framework bridges – many of which are well beyond their planned 75 year lifespans.

Maine DOT commissioner David Bernhardt says rural bridges in Piscataquis and Penobscot Counties are overdue for replacement. For example, the Pleasant River Bridge in Milo is more than 80-years-old. Such bridges are what's known as "fracture critical" structures.

"Certain tension members – if any one was to fail – there's a good chance the whole bridge could collapse. We don't build fracture critical bridges anymore," Bernhardt says.

And the bridges were not built to accommodate modern trucks.

The Pleasant River bridge, along with the Mattawamkeag and West Branch Bridges, will be replaced with part of a $10.8 million federal grant, known as a TIGER grant, (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant).

Bernhardt says the three bridges provide essential passage for the logging and forest products industry. A bridge failure, he says, would result in drivers having to make detours of between 12 and 100 miles, each way.

Construction will begin in late 2019.

Bernhardt says about 20 of the old-style bridges remain in the state.