Salmon Falls Bridge over the Saco River between Buxton and Hollis is scheduled for a $3 million upgrade next year. Robert Lowell / American Journal
Summer daredevils won’t find it so easy to jump into the Saco River from the Salmon Falls Bridge in Buxton when the bridge deck is replaced, likely in the summer of 2023.
The state’s $3 million deck renovation on the 74-year-old bridge will replace the current 27-inch-high concrete railing with a steel railing 42 inches high. The higher railing is aimed at deterring people from running and jumping into the Saco, something that posted signs prohibiting jumping from the bridge have failed to do.
Salmon Falls Bridge is narrow with a low railing only 27 inches high. Robert Lowell / American Journal
Several years ago, a youth was hospitalized after being struck by a pickup truck while running out from behind a tractor trailer on the 26-foot-wide bridge on Route 202 that connects Buxton and Hollis.
“The new bridge deck will have a minimum of three-bar steel bridge rail, which is a 42-inch-tall pedestrian height railing,” said Damian Veilleux, a Maine Department of Transportation spokesperson. “This is a significant increase from the existing rail height and should discourage running across the roadway and jumping over the rail, which was mentioned by the towns as an issue at the site.”
The project could begin in the summer of 2023, Veilleux said.
The 208-foot-long bridge was built in 1948 and received a minor rehab 29 years ago. A replacement deck will be be more pedestrian-friendly. The new design calls for 11-foot travel lanes in each direction with an overall “curb-to-curb” width of 32 feet wide, with 5-foot shoulders on each side of the bridge. Currently there are no pedestrian nor bike lanes on the bridge.
The bridge handles a daily average of 8,860 vehicles including trucks, according to the latest MDOT traffic count in 2020.
Buxton Police Chief Troy Cline said police will continue to enforce posted rules prohibiting jumping from the bridge.
“Should someone be found on the bridge attempting to jump into the river, they will be warned on the first offense,” Cline said. “Any subsequent offense will result in a criminal trespass charge.”
He discourages jumping anywhere in the bridge area because the river bottom has “numerous pieces of debris and sharp objects.”
During construction, traffic may have to be detoured. Buxton Selectperson Chad Poitras expects traffic would be would be redirected onto Route 4A passing through Bar Mills Village.
“It’s going to be a challenge,” Poitras said.
MDOT expects to advertise the project in December.
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