PORTLAND – State officials said Wednesday that the Martin’s Point Bridge, which carries more than 15,000 vehicles a day between Portland and Falmouth, will remain open while a new bridge is built next to it.

The Maine Department of Transportation has not yet decided whether the new bridge will be built upriver or downriver from the 70-year-old bridge, but it assured people at a hearing Wednesday night that traffic won’t be rerouted during the two-year construction project.

Officials are considering two design options for a new bridge parallel to the existing two-lane, 1,400-foot-long bridge across the Presumpscot River.

At the last public hearing on the project, held in February 2010 in Falmouth, state engineers said that closing the Martin’s Point Bridge would be the least costly construction option.

But public response was overwhelmingly negative. Removing the bridge would devastate businesses on Route 1 in Falmouth because it would force drivers to take routes around Falmouth, business owners said.

During Wednesday night’s hearing at Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Wayne Frankhauser, the Department of Transportation’s program manager for bridges, apologized for not getting the word out sooner.

Frankhauser said his department decided soon after last year’s hearing to keep the bridge open during construction.

“No one was in favor of closing the bridge. We did make the call (in 2010) that we would not close the bridge. We should have found a better way to publicize that,” Frankhauser said.

Following that decision, a public advisory committee was formed to offer input and guidance from Portland and Falmouth residents. Members of that group spoke at Wednesday’s meeting, which drew about 50 people.

They said their efforts have led to a replacement bridge that will not deviate significantly from the current bridge’s alignment. The new bridge could cost as much as $35 million.

The bridge will take about two years to build, with construction starting in the late summer or fall of 2012. The new bridge will be built to last for a century.

The existing bridge is a popular place for fishing, offering views of Mackworth Island, the Gilsland Farm sanctuary and the islands of Casco Bay.

“It’s a really remarkable view, a rare view, and the new bridge will be a big part of that,” said Patrick Costin, an architect who serves on the advisory committee. “We want to make sure that people can continue to enjoy those views for the next 100 years.”

Leanne Timberlake, who will manage the project for the state, said as many as four design/build teams will be selected by Aug. 31 before a final request for proposals goes out Oct. 5. A contract will be awarded in March.

Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

dhoey@pressherald.com

 

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