Drivers crossing the Deer Isle-Sedgwick bridge may see lane closures into June as the state works to reinforce the aging structure.
The “planned bridge strengthening project” involves installing small steel plates on structural beams, which will make it more durable and perform better long term, according to a Maine Department of Transportation spokesperson.
Work is weather-dependent but is expected to wrap up by mid-June.
The project comes as the state is taking early steps to consider future options for the soaring bridge that carries Route 15 over Eggemoggin Reach, which is Deer Isle and Stonington’s single road connection to the mainland. Until the bridge opened in 1939, the island was accessible only by ferry.
Officials and residents have worried for years about the structure’s functionality and how long it might take to replace. The bridge is critical for access to services, jobs, supplies and workers; it’s also economically crucial for the island’s key industries of lobstering, tourism and granite quarrying.
A regular inspection last spring found no critical safety issues. It did note immediate repairs were needed for clogged drainage spots on two piers, loose cable ties at several points and a displaced encasement on one pier; the department said in January that those issues were being addressed.
The state, which maintains the bridge and the road, has said it’s committed to extending the life of the existing bridge for as long as feasible. Its work plan for this year includes a $798K capital improvement investigation of the bridge’s remaining service life and the longer term need for replacement.
Tens of millions have been spent over the years to repair the existing bridge. Any replacement would be a major undertaking, possibly the most expensive highway and bridge project in Maine’s history, the department previously said.
Last summer, it estimated the bridge can stay in service for a minimum of 20-25 years with ongoing maintenance and repairs.
But it’s also pursued a feasibility study to include early planning for a “future comprehensive bridge project,” according to bid documents from 2025. Looking at options now will hopefully speed up funding, permitting and replacement when necessary, those documents said.
A spokesperson said in January that the state had “no plan” to replace the bridge and it was too early to discuss possibilities.
Though the narrow structure is not in immediate danger of failure, it’s challenging for modern vehicles and doesn’t function well, according to Deer Isle Town Manager Jim Fisher. Town plow trucks bump into the sides in winter, and he said he worries about what might happen if a crash occurred there.
The bridge remains a “major focus and priority” for the state, the department wrote in bid documents for the feasibility study.
