State Plans to Replace Route 17A Bridge

A public information meeting concerning the replacement of the bridge over Carr Brook on Route 17A in Portland will be held on Monday at 7 p.m. in the Mary Flood Room of Portland Public Library.

Residents, business owners, commuters and other interested individuals are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to learn about and discuss the proposed project.

The bridge, built in 1916, handles about 4,600 verhicles daily, according to a 2010 Average Daily Traffic Report.

Based on a field investigation and engineering analysis of the structure, the bridge is structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. Its structural deficiencies are a result of the deteriorated condition of the substructure and wingwalls. Also, the bridge roadway is typically overtopped by flooding of the Connecticut River.

According to the State Department of Transportation, the existing 13-foot clear span structure has a curb-to-curb width of 23’-2”, which is consistent with the approach roadway, and has an out-to-out width of 25’-5”. The proposed replacement is a 28-foot clear span structure. The overall width will be 35’-8”, which includes a 32-foot curb-to-curb width to accommodate an 11-foot travel lane and 5-foot shoulder in each direction. The hydraulic opening of the structure will be larger, but the roadway overtopping due to flooding cannot be eliminated unless the roadway is raised approximately 8 feet, which is not practical at this site.

A 7-mile detour route for Route 17A is proposed during construction.

Work is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2014 and be completed in the fall of 2014. The replacement of this bridge is to be paid for with federal-aid funds. The estimated cost for the project is $2,500,000.

The meeting is presented by the State DOT.