Northbound traffic on the Frank J. Wood bridge between Brunswick and Topsham will be detoured next week as crews repair the aging bridge.

The northbound lane will be closed Wednesday, April 19, and reopen Monday, April 24.

Drivers will be detoured from Route 1 to Route 196 and back to Route 201 to avoid construction.

Crews from Stetson and Watson, of Holden, will replace floor beams on span 1 of the bridge and work on other preservation measures, according to the Maine Department of Transportation. The project cost for that work is approximately $200,000.

State, local and federal officials have been debating the future of the Frank J. Wood bridge, also known as the Green Bridge, for several years. Some parts of the 85-year-old bridge have deteriorated and are in need of urgent repairs. In August, the state prohibited heavy tractor-trailer trucks from using the bridge because of concerns about its structural integrity. More than 19,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily.

There are $805,000 in immediate repairs planned while state officials come up with a permanent solution.

The Maine DOT has proposed four construction options for the span. Those include two replacement and two rehabilitation projects costing between $13 million and $17 million.

Maine DOT planned to replace the bridge, but has run up against opposition from a local group, Friends of the Frank J. Wood Bridge, that wants to preserve the historic structure.

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