Maine has made no significant progress toward replacing or repairing structurally deficient bridges in the last year, according to a national transportation trade group.
TRIP, the Washington, D.C., nonprofit that analyzes the condition of bridges around the country, said 15 percent of Maine bridges are structurally deficient, a percentage unchanged from last year’s report. The group has advocated for doubling the $70 million allocated for bridge repairs within the Maine Department of Transportation budget.
Read report on Maine's bridges
“Maine’s bridge conditions are only going to get worse if greater funding is not made available,” said Will Wilkins, TRIP’s executive director, in a release. “Additional, consistent funding must be provided to improve the condition of Maine’s bridges, which are a vital part of the state’s transportation network and critical to economic growth and quality of life.”
Dana Connors, director of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and former Maine commissioner of transportation, joined local officials at a press conference Wednesday morning at the Portland International Jetport to unveil the new report. Calling the state’s transportation network the “cornerstone” of Maine’s economy, he called on lawmakers and the general public to push for more transportation funding.
“We need to invest more in our bridges in order to ensure safety and ensure that Maine is competitive,” he said.
A bridge deemed structurally deficient means there is significant deterioration of the bridge supports or other major components. In southern Maine, 10 percent of bridges are structurally deficient, according to the report, while 18 percent of Maine’s bridges are functionally obsolete, meaning they no longer meet modern design standards. In southern Maine, 22 percent of bridges are designated as functionally obsolete.
Among the bridges in the greater Portland area identified as structurally deficient are:
• Route 1 bridge over the Cousins River in Freeport. Built in 1930, the bridge carries 8,954 vehicles per day. The substructure of the bridge is in poor condition.
• Routes 11-114 over the Muddy River in Naples. Built in 1930, it carries 1,593 vehicles per day and recreational boat traffic passes beneath. The deck, substructure and substructure are in poor condition. This bridge is funded for replacement in 2016.
• Routes 9 and 22 over the Stroudwater River in Portland. Built in 1989, it carries 23,826 vehicles per day. The substructure of the bridge is in poor condition.
• Routes 202 and 4 over the Little River in Gorham. Built in 1949, it carries 5,452 vehicles per day. The deck and superstructure are in poor condition.
• Route 1 over Route 115/Main Street in Yarmouth. Built in 1948, it carries 5,641 vehicles per day. The deck of the bridge is in poor condition.
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