At an August 12 meeting of the Bridge Advisory Committee, MaineDOT gave what may be its final presentation on the plans to replace the Falls Bridge.
Among the highlights:
- Contrary to the most recently discussed plan, the bridge will not be constructed via “accelerated” techniques, which would have resulted in total closure duration of 45-60 days.
- Instead, the new plan provides for construction of a one-lane temporary bridge, which will be used for 18-20 months during bridge replacement.
- There was a review of the final design of the bridge and a discussion of some open questions about design details.
- MaineDOT indicated that its proposed contract provides for the successful contractor to preserve the metal plaque and “1926” markers currently on the bridge; the Committee was asked whether the community will want to request preservation of any additional bridge elements.
The attached presentation provides the slides from the meeting, including an indicative construction timeline.