State wants to replace, not fix, creaky Brunswick-Topsham bridge

The 805-foot-long Frank J. Wood Bridge opened in 1932. It was rehabilitated in 1985, 2006 and 2015, but continuing structural problems have led authorities to lower the load limit to 25 tons. Staff photo by Ben McCanna


An aging bridge between Brunswick and Topsham should be demolished and replaced, not renovated, according to the Maine Department of Transportation.

The department and the Federal Highway Administration have considered options to fix or replace the Frank J. Wood Bridge over the Androscoggin River for years. Local activists have pushed to repair the 86-year-old truss bridge and preserve it as a historic structure. A preservationist group said Tuesday it intends to continue opposing bridge replacement, and may challenge the project in court.

In a statement Tuesday, the MDOT said replacing the bridge with a new span slightly upstream was the preferred alternative. The project is expected to cost $15 million and will take at least 2½ years to complete.

The substantial determining factors for choosing to replace the bridge included the long-term costs of rehabilitation – approximately double the cost of replacement – and the improved safety and accommodation of bicycle travel, the department said.

Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/2017/06/27/mdot-wants-to-replace-brunswick-topsham-bridge/


The Frank Woods Bridge between Brunswick and Topsham, showing its age in August 2016, should be replaced rather than renovated, says the Maine Department of Transportation. Staff photo by Ben McCanna