News Release for October 20, 2008
For More Information: John Buxton, Bridge Maintenance Engineer - 207-624-3580
Herb Thomson, Office of Communications - 207-624-3030

MAINEDOT LOWERS WEIGHT LIMIT ON NEW MILLS BRIDGE IN GARDINER
LOADS LIMITED TO 20,000 POUNDS

Beginning tomorrow, October 21, the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) will limit loads on the New Mills Bridge on Routes 9/126 in Gardiner to 10 tons, or 20,000 pounds. The bridge is being posted to the 10-ton limit following a routine bridge inspection that revealed significant deterioration of the bridge’s floor system since the last inspection, which was conducted in 2006.

The New Mills Bridge carries Routes 9/126 over Cobbosseecontee Stream where Routes 9/126 enter the built-up area of the city of Gardiner from the west. The old green “through truss” bridge is one of 386 bridges on MaineDOT’s “Bridge Watch List” and was already on the department’s schedule for replacement in 2010.

“We discovered this serious deterioration of the steel stringers in the structure’s floor system during our regular inspection,” said state bridge maintenance engineer John Buxton. “Then we got underneath to look at the structure using an under-bridge crane. The analysis that we and our consulting engineers performed is leading us to post the bridge to a lower limit to assure safe travel for all vehicles,” Buxton continued.

The 10-ton (20,000-pound) limit will basically allow passenger cars, pickup-trucks, and very light-duty delivery vehicles to use the bridge as they normally do. Vehicles that will not now be permitted to use the bridge are those with a gross vehicle weight over 10 tons, including tractor trailers, fuel delivery and construction vehicles, large school buses, and even many recreational vehicles (RVs).

MaineDOT traffic engineers have notified city, police, emergency and school officials of the lowered weight limit.  Tomorrow morning, department personnel will begin placing signage in the city and surrounding area to direct heavy vehicle operators to alternative routes.

MaineDOT engineers are planning a temporary fix for the New Mills Bridge so that heavy vehicles will be able to safely carry legal loads until a bridge replacement project can be undertaken. Buxton anticipates that the temporary repairs will be completed in from four to six weeks.