Saco residents voted Tuesday to fund repairs to the historic Stackpole Bridge, which has been closed to traffic for more than a year.
The bridge, built in 1848, is one of the oldest stone bridges on a public roadway in Maine but is closed to vehicle traffic until it is repaired or replaced. Neighbors have fought for more than a decade for its restoration.
The vote was 4,255 to 3,791 in favor of repairing the bridge.
The bond allows the city to spend up to $990,000 for improvements to the bridge that would allow it be reopened to traffic. Traffic on the bridge has been reduced to one lane for years, but was closed altogether in May 2013 because of concerns about its stability.
The bridge, eligible for National Historic Preservation status, is remarkable for its vaulted arch, which is shaped like a giant keyhole and rises 21 feet over the creek.
Voters in 2013 rejected a plan to borrow $1.7 million to fix the bridge.
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