KENNEBUNK — Structurally deficient: That’s the Maine Department of Transportation’s diagnosis of the Mathew J. Lanigan Bridge, connecting Kennebunkport’s Dock Square to Lower Village in Kennebunk.

Representatives from MDOT, as well as general contractor Stantec, were on hand during a public meeting at Kennebunk High School on Tuesday night to inform residents of the plan to replace that bridge. They also sought public comment and input, which they say will be essential in solidifying a replacement plan and construction schedule.

“We’re in what we call the ”˜information-gathering stage,’” said Leanne Timberlake, project manager for MDOT. That, she said, includes studies of various aspects of the site; traffic studies and analysis of tidal swelling of the Kennebunk River are among the data that crews will need to collect before further details of the project are made available.

Of concern to residents and officials of both towns was the disruption to vehicle and foot traffic in the busy, tightly packed area.

Tim Merritt, project manager for Stantec, said provisions will be made to mitigate the effect of ongoing bridge work.

“We do plan to maintain traffic flow during construction,” said Merritt.

Highlighted during the meeting were some of the challenges inherent in replacing the bridge, which is uncommonly small for such a heavily-traversed area. One of those challenges, said Merritt, is that abutting buildings have been built extremely close to the bridge, rendering replacement efforts difficult. Also an issue is the size; the bridge is only 88 feet long, and 22 feet wide from curb to curb. It’s difficult to construct a safe, legal bridge that meets engineering and environmental requirements, said Merritt.

The Mathew J. Lanigan Bridge was originally built in 1933, and while it was rehabilitated in 1973, Merritt said sheer age ”“ not to mention deterioration of the steel superstructure due to saltwater corrosion ”“ makes it impossible for further rehabilitation efforts to make the 81-year-old bridge as safe as it should be.

“It is well beyond its service life,” he said. “We’re often replacing bridges that are 60 years old, or 50, even. … The superstructure is really beyond a cost-effective repair at this point.”

Despite the challenges, Stantec and MDOT have decided to keep both vehicle and pedestrian traffic open during construction. To do so, a temporary bridge will likely be built, although its exact location has yet to be determined.

Construction will also be halted during the summer months to account for the busy tourist season in both towns ”“ which, in conjunction with unfavorable working conditions in the heart of winter, will limit work on the bridge to the autumn and spring months.

Regardless, some meeting attendees from Kennebunkport expressed concern about construction in December potentially interfering with its annual Christmas Prelude celebration, which Kennebunkport Selectwoman Sheila Matthews-Bull said is a huge draw for visitors to the Dock Square area.

“We don’t want construction going on during our busy season,” she said.

Others present shared their own suggestions for how to ease the burden. Denise Clavette, executive director of the Kennebunk-Kennebunkport-Arundel Chamber of Commerce, suggested that instead of building a temporary bridge while the Lanigan is replaced, any new bridge that is built could be permanent, and the existing bridge used as a pedestrian thoroughfare.

One man who makes his living in the commercial fishing industry warned MDOT and Stantec that construction activity could interrupt the flow of water in the Kennebunk River, which experiences tidal variations due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.

A preliminary design for a new bridge is expected to be delivered sometime in 2015, with the final design and permitting completed the following year. Timberlake said that construction would likely begin in the fall of 2016, and last for two to three construction seasons.

“We will look to accelerate construction as much as we can,” she said.

In the coming months, a local bridge advisory committee will be formed, comprised of members from both towns, who will be chosen by their respective town managers. The committee will have input on such considerations as the width of the new bridge, its aesthetics, and the location and configuration of the temporary bridge.

— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 319 or [email protected].