Contractor Ready to Begin Preliminary Work on Arrigoni on Monday

As repair preparations on the 73-year-old Arrigoni Bridge start this week, what is not clear is just when actual construction to replace the aging deck of the span will begin. The heavy work will follow installation of long-term barriers that will restrict travel on the bridge to just two lanes directly opposed. The reduction in lanes are expected to cause delays for thousands of commuters.

Things will begin slowly on Monday with engineers getting an up close and careful look. Engineers from the state Department of Transportation and the contractor, Middlesex Corporation of Littleton, Mass., will take several weeks conducting examinations, taking measurements and finalizing plans for the task ahead. It will necessitate occasional lane closures during non-peak hours between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. There will be similar work between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

As for the start of heavy repairs, Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield says state officials put it at June 20 at the earliest. She feels there's even a chance it may slip until the start of July. Bransfield hopes it gets underway well before the summer vacation ends and school buses and parents driving children add to the congestion of the morning commute. She also hopes it comes soon so commuters can get adjusted.

The DOT said it first wants the best communications possible with motorists. A spokeswoman working with the DOT's Arrigoni team, Terri Thompson, said their next priority is getting what's called a Smart Zone in place and working properly. Thompson said they want it up and running "to keep motorists fully informed of conditions and delays."

Thompson says the DOT will be deploying sensors to measure the flow of traffic on many routes leading to the Arrigoni on both sides of the Connecticut River, as well as the bridge itself. She said they will also position about a dozen mobile signs that have electronic screens that flash brief messages. They are being placed on many roads where traffic approaches the Arrigoni. There are two samples already operating on both sides of the bridge, alerting motorists about upcoming temporary lane closures during non-peak hours.  

When the sensors and signs are in place, they'll all be linked to a DOT control center, and all the signs will be coordinated to deliver information as quickly as possible. It's the first operation of its kind for the DOT.

Asked about June 20 being the target date for construction, Thompson says they are not willing to say just yet. When they do make a decision, they want to give commuters and officials two weeks notice. 

Much, if not all the work, will take place on the road deck between the two 600 foot arches of the Arrigoni. The asphalt and road material will be pulled up as the steel grating will be dismantled beneath the surface. Officals say the contractor will build a special platform that will be suspended just beneath the bridge giving workers access to steel parts that have to be removed, and then provide support as new structures and grating will be going back up. That platform will be moved along as sections of the work are completed.

Bransfield said the first area to be worked on will be the south side of the span, the part of the bridge on the down stream side of the river.

Middlesex Corp. is already gathering some equipment into a staging area just underneath the Portland side of the bridge. The ground has been cleared for a lot more gear to follow. Several cargo containers are on the site, along with a supply of orange traffic barrels and cones. 

Public safety officials now seem pleased that plans have been worked out for police coverage.

Portland Fire Chief Robert Shea, chairman of the sub-committee on safety matters, said they "are working closely" with the DOT and Middlesex Corp. He says this is a joint effort between all the agencies to "make sure it's safe and accomodating" to the traveling public as much as possible.

Details on police coverage on both sides of the bridge have been worked out. Shea said paramedics from Middlesex Hospital will be working much of the time with Portland EMTs and both units will be based at Fire Station No. 2 on Main Street.

Hunters Ambulance is expected to get necessary permits to station a crew to be operating on the Portland side. 

The role of police to maintain a safe flow of traffic was also noted by Bransfield.  In one example, she says police will direct traffic at the entrance to the bridge on Main Street, stopping oncoming vehicles for trucks coming up from the industrial park.  There's a curved road that comes out just before the entrance to the Arrigoni. There is also a newly installed island with signage to make that merge easier to see.  

The DOT already has a webpage dedicated to the Arrigoni project. Thompson and other DOT officials say they plan to be updating the site daily as work progresses.

Also available are electronic traffic alerts by email. Those interested can go to the DOT web site, and choose region one. The Arrigoni, Route 9 and Route 2 are in that zone. The alerts can be customized by type, time of day and week, and frequency. Alerts about accidents or emergency road work are posted within a few minutes of their occurrence. It may take some adjustment at first, as the DOT sends out many posts for each region each day.

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