Frank J Wood Bridge: A Time to Revitalize

After local meetings, public discussions with the Maine Department of Transportation (DOT), input from consulting parties, analysis of the matrix of alternatives provided by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the rehabilitation of the Frank J. Wood Bridge (FJWB) emerges as the primary solution to rehabilitation or replacement.

The review used a process titled Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 to evaluate these inputs to assess the cultural and historical aspects of the FJWB. The ideal is to have none or few adverse effects on historical properties. They are as follows.

Two new bridge alternatives were proposed by DOT. One was rejected as it would cause permanent impacts to two Topsham properties and would unfavorably raise river water levels at the Bowdoin Mill Complex.

The proposed upstream bridge would cause permanent impacts to two Brunswick properties and one Topsham property, permanent impacts caused by four new bridge piers, potential permanent and temporary impacts to the Brookfield Dam and Fish Ladder, require relocation of water and communications services, and the removal of the FJWB causing a major “adverse effect” as defined by Section 106 on the Brunswick-Topsham Industrial Historic District, the Cabot Mill and the Pejepscot Paper Company Historic Districts.

Concerns have been expressed about cost, but projects such as this are funded 80 percent by the FHWA and 20 percent by the State of Maine. Cost estimates for replacement or rehabilitation are similar and traffic would be maintained by a temporary two way traffic bridge. Estimates for construction time range from 2.5 to 3.5 years with rehabilitation of the FJWB being 3 years.

This conservation effort comprises the entire area as many benefit from the heritage tourist trade and the historic structures and districts of the coastal towns of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell and others which have much to offer to visitors.

The FJWB, surrounding historic districts next to the FJWB, the river falls, and the downtown Brunswick Historic District are an extraordinary alignment of the mentioned historic assets and they are best conserved in a condition of entirety.

William F. Morin,
Topsham