ARUNDEL — Motorists are enjoying a smoother commute over the Kennebunk River on U.S. Route 1 now that the Bartlett Bridge project is just about complete.

Replacement efforts on the bridge began in late May, with traffic over the span along the town line between Arundel and Kennebunk reduced to 25 mph in June by the Maine Department of Transportation as construcion crews worked on the project.

Several temporary bridges rerouted vehicles around the $2.3 million bridge construction project that also included installation of sewer pipe underneath the new bridge span.

As construction proceeded over the summer months, crews from CPM Constructors of Freeport worked on the bridge project up to six days a week to have the replacement bridge in place prior to the onset of winter.

Beams for both lanes of the new bridge were installed in September.  

The new bridge opened to traffic earlier this month, but a construction crew continues to work near the the bridge site building a ground shelf along the bridge embankment.

The Kennebunk River provides habitat to wood turtles, which are a threatened species in Maine.

Maine DOT Project Engineer John Auger said earlier this year that construction crews will build a shelf along the bridge’s pitch that will use the riverbanks’ currents to create a passageway for the endangered turtles.

Near the shelf, which remains under construction, are a series of stepped, rushing river rapids making the ecological importance of the passageway even more significant.

Orange barrels are still in place at the bridge site and the speed limit over the bridge has been increased slightly to 35 mph while construction workers and equipment are working on the embankment shelf.

Federal funding for the project was $1.9 million and the state of Maine contributed $479,480.

Mark Parlin served as project manager for the bridge replacement project.

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 ext. 326 or by email at [email protected].