Tentative price agreement reached for Sarah Mildred Long Bridge replacement project

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
image description
MaineDOT

The Maine and New Hampshire Departments of Transportation have reached a tentative price agreement with Cianbro Corporation of Pittsfield, Maine, for the replacement of the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge in Kittery.

The $158.5-million construction cost agreement is a major milestone in the project, which is scheduled to begin in late 2014.

“This bridge is critical to Maine’s economy,” said Maine Gov. Paul LePage. “I am pleased the two states have tentatively agreed on a price and I’m just as pleased an outstanding Maine company such as Cianbro will be employing hard working people to construct this new bridge.”

The new bridge was designed with long open spans using eleven fewer piers than the existing bridge. In addition, faster and fewer openings of the bridge due to its increased height for marine traffic means there is less disruption to the traveling public. In early September, a $25 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant was awarded to both states to fund the rail portion of the bridge that will serve as the key component to moving nuclear material out of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

This project is part of a “Three Bridge Agreement” between Maine and New Hampshire to address their jointly-owned bridges spanning the Piscataqua River. The other two bridges are the “high level” bridge that carries I-95 and the Memorial Bridge that links the communities of Portsmouth and Kittery and offers vehicle, bike and pedestrian travel.

Construction of the new Sarah Mildred Long Bridge is slated for late 2014 with the new bridge expected to open to motorists in August of 2017.

 

 

 

Tags: