Representatives of the Maine Department of Transportation met with South Bristol residents July 14, to discuss plans to replace the town’s historic swing bridge.
Landscaping, or improvements to the area surrounding the bridge, dominated the exchange.
Duane Scott, DOT Director of Statewide Multimodal Planning, gave a brief explanation of the meeting. “This evening’s meeting was intended as a roll-up-your-sleeves-type workshop,” Scott said.
The meeting also marked the beginning of a new stage in the process, he said. “We are transitioning from this planning phase… to our bridge planning personnel,” he said.
According to Vince Campisi, a consultant contracting with the Department of Transportation (DOT), DOT plans to replace the existing bridge with a European/Dutch Style Heel Trunion Bascule bridge. The new bridge will lift perpendicular to the roadway, rather than swing, to allow boat traffic.
The current swing bridge, Campisi said, is “probably one of the most heavily operated movable bridges in the United States.” Unfortunately, according to Campisi, the local landmark is “severely deteriorated and in need of major repair or replacement.”
The “useful life” of the current bridge is less than five years, he said.
DOT considered several options before settling on the European/Dutch bridge, Campisi said, including a “no build” option, rehabilitation of the current bridge and replacement with three different designs: a “bobtail swing,” a Heel Trunion Bascule, and the favored European/Dutch Heel Trunion Bascule.
The estimated cost of the European/Dutch bridge, including construction and maintenance throughout a 50-year life cycle, is $4.4 million, Campisi said. The closest competitor, the Heel Trunion Bascule, would cost $7.9 million over the same span.
“Those numbers are very far apart,” Campisi said. “That’s for a good reason – because that bridge is that simple.”
“There’s no machinery that’s exposed to being in a situation where it would be underwater. That eliminates 100 percent of the maintenance problems,” Campisi said.
Campisi indicated that DOT hopes to begin construction in 2012-2013 depending on funding availability. The bridge will have a “design life” of at least 75 years and “probably much longer than that,” he said.
Campisi addressed some specifics about construction, which will last about a year to a year and a half, Campisi said.
According to Campisi, DOT will widen the channel through “The Gut” to 30 feet and widen the bridge to 22 feet, increases of four and two feet, respectively. DOT is also investigating the possibility of clearing or dredging the channel and burying overhead power lines to provide unlimited vertical clearance for passing boats.
DOT will build a temporary, one-way bridge for use throughout construction, Campisi said. Traffic signals will control the flow of traffic across the bridge, he said.
Campisi used photos and a laser pointer to explain the orientation of the temporary bridge. The bridge will start behind the current location of the bridge keeper’s building on the South Bristol mainland and cross over to Rutherford Island in front of the Bridge House.
During a “significant portion” of construction, the many boats – commercial fishing vessels and pleasure craft alike – that use the channel on a daily basis will need to travel around the island or otherwise avoid The Gut, Campisi said.
After Campisi’s presentation, Scott opened the meeting to comments from those in attendance.
Gene Ritzo asked the DOT for additional downtown parking. “It’s a hazard to approach this bridge as it stands today,” Ritzo said.
“We might be able to help out in terms of giving you some kind of technical feedback,” Scott said. “We’re willing to work with you.” According to Scott, DOT will fund the bridge, but the town may need to fund related construction.
DOT Project Manager Steve Bodge offered a more generous answer. “We can help with some of these things if we can make it work,” Bodge said.
Betsy Andrews expressed concern about the design of a two-story bridge keeper’s building. “That moves the bridge operators from what’s going on at street level,” Andrews said. “There are a lot of pedestrians and so forth.”
Campisi said the design would allow the bridge keepers a panoramic view of the area, including approaching cars, boats and pedestrians.
Virginia Holihan, who said she lives near the bridge, objected to the possibility of building sidewalks in the area. “If you did do sidewalks it would take our porches away,” she said.
Scott said the town would decide whether they want sidewalks. “We are not going to force sidewalks on you,” he said.
Ritzo offered a conflicting view. “There needs to be sidewalks on the approaches,” he said.
One attendee asked if emergency vehicles would be able to control the signals on the temporary bridge to prevent delays.
“We can make that work,” Bodge said.
Dan Thompson described himself as “a frequent user of the bridge by car and by water.”
Thompson said a sidewalk, or at least a larger shoulder, is necessary for pedestrian safety. Thompson’s children and grandchildren live on the opposite side of the bridge, he said. “I want my grandchildren to be able to visit me.”
Bodge said a larger shoulder would help solve drainage issues. “Drainage is extremely important,” he said. Bodge said the catch basins necessary to assist drainage require at least a two-foot shoulder.
Diane Haas said she lives in the Bridge House. “I do see an eminent domain issue there with my deck,” Haas said, referring to the location of the temporary bridge on a diagram displayed by Campisi. “If there are eminent domain issues, when do we find out?” she asked.
Bodge said it could be two or three years before DOT can make a final decision, but earlier in the meeting, Bodge assured residents that DOT wants to avoid eminent domain issues. “We’re not interested in buying any houses,” he said.
Leslie Shaw objected to the DOT’s approach to the meeting. “We’re not supposed to design your plan,” he said.
“We’re here to build a bridge,” Bodge replied. “If folks want some enhancements, now’s the time to do it.”
Andrews expressed concern about cars speeding through the area if improvements are made. “People will drive faster,” she said. “There is no enforcement here.”
“We cannot assume responsibility for police enforcement,” Scott said.
Bodge said the project will use the “three E’s: Enforcement, Engineering and Education” to address the issue.
One attendee suggested the use of speed bumps, leading to a noisy murmur of disapproval from the crowd.
Dave Andrews asked for “a very rigorous process” including a focus groups or stakeholders’ group to determine the appearance of the bridge. The Gut is frequently painted and photographed, he said.
Haas suggested that bridge designers meet with the historical society to obtain input on aesthetic issues.
Another attendee discouraged the formation of committees. “We have excellent selectmen who know who to talk to,” she said. “If we have a number of committees it’s going to go around and around.”
Ralph Norwood suggested that engineers consider the “line of sight for mariners.” At present, the narrow channel makes it difficult for boaters to see each other, he said.
“You might want to angle the bridge a little bit differently,” Norwood said.
Harvey agreed. “We’re kayakers,” he said. Recently, while approaching The Gut, “the bridge operator had to run out of his house to communicate with us,” he said.
DOT representatives indicated they would consider the placement of a marine traffic signal.
Norwood also asked if the small parcel of land the bridge swings over would remain town property.
Kent Cooper, a DOT landscape architect, said the issue was under consideration, and might turn into a small park, “a place for people to arrive at and eat an ice cream.”
Betsy Andrews said she used to sit on the bridge and eat ice cream as a child, but Bodge discouraged the continuation of the tradition.
“You might want to be on it when it turns, but you won’t want to be on it when it lifts,” Bodge said.
Ritzo expressed indignation over the idea of a park, suggesting that DOT transform the area into parking spaces.
Campisi said two parking spaces would be provided for bridge keepers.
“Two spaces? We need 52 spaces,” Ritzo said.
