A crane lifts and removes an iron beam from the bridge. (Photo courtesy of Maine DOT)

The Maine Department of Transportation is replacing two bridges that cross I-295 at Exits 20 and 22 in Freeport.

The bridge at Exit 20 carries Desert Road over the interstate; the bridge at Exit 22 carries Mallett Drive (Routes 125 and 136) over the interstate. These bridges were originally constructed in 1957 when I-295 was first built.

Each new bridge will feature a 12-ft.-wide multi-use path that will tie into paths the town is planning to construct in the future. Traffic signals will be installed at the ends of the northbound and southbound interstate exit ramps.

The $25.7 million project is being paid for by federal grant money from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Competitive Highway Bridge Program. The department said the projects began earlier this year and are expected to be finished by the end of 2025.

McNamee Construction of Lincolndale, N.Y., is the lead contractor on the project and is being assisted by H.B. Fleming of South Portland, Maine. The project will be completed in stages for one bridge at a time. McNamee has begun demolition of the Exit 20 bridge and has started clearing operations and relocating utilities.

H.B. Fleming has begun pile driving on the Exit 20 bridge.

"We're working on the first bridge now," said Dean Sciaraffa, company director of H.B. Fleming. "There are two phases and the second half will be completed next year."

Maine DOT had planned to split the cost of 10-ft. paths with Freeport, but the Freeport town council voted that the paths should be 12 ft. wide to allow for cyclists to safely pass each other in both directions. Freeport voted on March 9, 2021, in favor of 12-ft.-wide bicycle and pedestrian paths to the two I-295 bridges in town. Freeport will contribute $634,000 through a 10-year bond. This amounts to a $14 property tax increase for a Freeport home valued at $350,000. Maine DOT will cover the rest of the project cost.

The Desert Road Interchange bridge sees 9,408 vehicles per day, and the Mallett Drive interchange carries 16,878, according to data from the Maine DOT.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins said the bridge work will "produce benefits that will be felt by Maine families and businesses throughout our state."

Angela King, advocacy manager of The Bicycle Coalition of Maine said, "We applaud both Freeport and the Maine DOT for working together to design this strong bridge project that is a step towards a bike/pedestrian network connecting the town." CEG

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