Work commencing on new bridge between Maine and New Hampshire

Work is now commencing in the US state of Maine for the new Sarah Mildred Long Bridge. The bridge will connect Maine and New Hampshire, spanning the Piscataqua River. The project is expected to cost around US$170 million, with $25 million coming from the US Department of Transport’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant programme. The existing bridge is 65 years old and is no longer suitable for the 14,000 vehicles/day it has to carry. The project is expected to be completed in late 2017 and will require closure of the existing link for about 10 months to accommodate bridge approach work. The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge also provides rail access to the nearby Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and carries commercial traffic along the US Route 1. It also serves as the primary emergency alternate bridge for the I-95 High Level Bridge connecting both states.