Making History Again

This article describes how a historical bridge in Norridgewock, Maine, had deteriorated to a point where it had to be either demolished or rehabilitated, and this presented a delicate situation. The concrete bridge as the locals called it was part of the community’s character and charm — and part of the town’s emblem. No one wanted to see it razed, but the bridge needed to provide a safe and efficient river crossing and this made for a very sensitive situation, but one that was able to be worked out. The bridge opened to traffic this summer. The design needed to be both contemporary and fitting for the setting and the history of the site. The challenge was clear: A bridge had to be designed in a way that was similar to the existing structure but incorporating as many modern design and construction techniques as possible. Complicating plans further was the fact that the bridge would be built with federal and state money. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) would have to agree on a plan. Because of the historic significance of the bridge and historic buildings close to it, federal law requires that the Maine Historic Preservation Commission also had to be in agreement, according to MaineDOT. After conducting a study from 1998 to 2004 to evaluate four crossings — both east and west of the current covered bridge — MaineDOT and FHWA came to the conclusion that although rehabilitating the bridge was an option, it was recommended that the current bridge be removed “due to its poor condition, narrow width and outdated height. A new bridge would be built on the site. The new Norridgewock bridge in Maine is the first modern concrete tied-arch bridge built on the East Coast in 50 years.