TREMONT — With two bridges here scheduled for replacement, the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) is holding a public hearing to hear comments about both projects on June 6 at the Tremont Town Office.
The bridges are the Clark Bridge on the Tremont Road and the Marsh Bridge on Route 102. The Marsh Bridge, which is on the Tremont and Southwest Harbor town line, is better known locally as the Adams Bridge.
Replacement of the Clark Bridge, which is near the Tremont Consolidated School, had been scheduled to begin in June. Town officials learned in April that the project had been delayed because bids for the work came in “very high” and all were rejected.
One factor, according to MDOT project manager Leanne Timberlake, was the site constraints in place to avoid impact on abutting Acadia National Park property.
As a result, the MDOT decided to develop a new design that would be simpler and less expensive to construct. Bids for the new design are expected to go out to bid in the spring of 2018.
The Marsh Bridge project is included in the MDOT’s 2018-2019 work plan. The department estimates the cost at $1.5 million.
Residents have expressed concerns about traffic flow during construction of the Clark Bridge. Originally, one-way traffic was to be maintained during construction and controlled by an automated traffic signal system. The operators of ambulances, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles would be able to override the signals if needed. It is not known if that is still the plan.
MDOT spokesperson Ted Talbot was contacted, but he was unable to provide more details of the bridge projects before press time.
Mark Good
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