Memorial Bridge is falling down, falling down
The Memorial Bridge that links Portsmouth in New Hampshire to Kittery in Maine is ageing. The through truss lift bridge is over 80 years old and has begun to feel its age in recent years, on the 16th of October, 2009 state authorities issued an emergency closure of the bridge due to essential repairs that were needed and its weight limit has steadily been reduced over the last year or so.
Then, in mid-2010 a 4-foot long chunk of the bridge fell away into the river, removing any doubt that the bridge is in need of urgent redevelopment, but the issue of where the money will come from and who should take responsibility is a complex one.
When the Memorial Bridge was originally built in 1923 to span the Piscataqua River, which separates Maine from New Hampshire, it was a combined effort between the two states as well as the federal government. Therefore, the issue of who should take responsibility for the bridge’s rehabilitation is split three ways, with three governments passing the buck in the face of deficits and budget cuts.
The need for redevelopment of the bridge was first reported by New Hampshire news media in July 2009 when state government lowered the weight restriction for the bridge from 20 tons to 10 tons. This was to avoid undue structural stress on the aged bridge, but just a few months later, it had to be closed for emergency repairs and reopened with a further weight reduction of 3 tons.
At the time, state officials in both New Hampshire and Maine insisted the bridge was once more safe for use, but the recent incident in which a 4-foot long piece of the bridge came away and fell into the river has raised concerns and skepticism among those who use the crossing regularly.
“The bridge is falling apart,” Bob Hassold, whose tug was almost hit by the falling part, told New Hampshire news media, he passes under the bridge about 20 times a week. “They need to do something about it as quickly as possible. It’s in desperate shape.”
The bridge is currently being investigated by consultants who will present options for the bridge to Maine and New Hampshire, as well as the federal government. The issue revolves around funding, it is estimated that the cost of rehabilitating the bridge will be around $40 million, the federal government will pay 80% of this, with New Hampshire and Maine splitting the difference.
But, the rehabilitation project, which will take about two years if enacted, has been put on hold because the winning contract for the project was $15 million over budget and there is talk now of demolishing the bridge altogether and building a new one. This, however, presents a new set of hurdles, replacing the Memorial Bridge will cost around $300 million and although this will provide a structure that could last another 100 years, it is beyond the budget of $60 million that Maine has allocated for the maintenance of all the bridges in the state.
Meanwhile, it has become clear to state officials that it must be razed, New Hampshire news media reported recently that this was the official position of the state government.
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Memorial Bridge is falling down, falling down
The Memorial Bridge linking New Hampshire and Maine is a historical landmark, its been there for over 80 years, but the bridge is old and in this age of recession, expensive repair work versus more valuable replacement may soon see the structure razed and replaced.
The Memorial Bridge that links Portsmouth in New Hampshire to Kittery in Maine is ageing. The through truss lift bridge is over 80 years old and has begun to feel its age in recent years, on the 16th of October, 2009 state authorities issued an emergency closure of the bridge due to essential repairs that were needed and its weight limit has steadily been reduced over the last year or so. Read more
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