The recently opened Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, which connects Kittery and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, via Route 1, will be closed for one week to complete construction.
The Maine Department of Transportation announced Friday that the span will be closed from April 30 to May 6 to allow finishing work on the bridge.
The $165 million bridge has been a source of controversy between Maine DOT and Cianbro Corp., the bridge’s primary contractor. Each has blamed the other for seven months of delays caused by staff turnover, design changes and cost overruns. The state issued an order to Cianbro that the bridge, which had cleared its safety inspections, be opened by March 30.
The remaining work on the bridge involves patching its towers at high altitudes, according to a statement from Maine DOT announcing the closure. Cianbro will need to use four man lifts to work on all four towers, which prevents the possibility of traffic flowing beneath.
The crews will also use a series of drones to help prioritize what work must be finished during the closure.
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