A Department of Transportation contractor has completed an “aesthetic design review” of the bridge proposed to replace the bridge over The Gut in South Bristol.
The DOT contracted FIGG Bridge Engineers Inc., the firm that designed the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, to conduct the study after hearing concerns about the appearance of the proposed bridge from some South Bristol property owners at a July 2012 meeting.
The firm’s December 2012 report approves of the basic bridge design while providing options to alter the appearance of the structure.
The bridge design “marries up with the scale” of the landscape and “can actually enhance visual interest,” according to the report.
The options in the report include one major design change and several relatively minor aesthetic changes to the proposed bascule or drawbridge-style bridge.
The only major change would remove a large steel crossbeam from the top of the new bridge. The engineers could then make the heels of the bridge arms slightly thicker to provide the necessary weight to operate the bridge.
“This option would reduce the size of the bridge” by eliminating a beam that crosses the road and interrupts the view for drivers and pedestrians, according to the report.
The report includes a detailed “color study” and recommends contrasting colors in earth tones or “neutrals” to blend with the neighboring buildings. Another idea involves the use of granite from a nearby quarry to build a base for the bridge’s twin columns and “provide a strong and elegant connection” to the land on either side of the bridge.
The report includes several concept images of these options and others, including sketches of possible railing designs. One design uses bright colors and fishing buoys to “celebrate… the many shapes, sizes and styles of buoys that line buildings and surrounding waterways.”
The full report is available on a new website launched by the DOT to inform the public about the progress of the bridge project. The website also includes a public comment form.
According to the website, the department will review the options in the aesthetics report for costs, safety and other matters before engineers incorporate any changes into the final design.
The DOT schedule currently calls for construction to start in the fall.
To visit, go to www.maine.gov/mdot/gutbridge or visit the DOT home page at www.maine.gov/mdot and click the link at the top of the page.
