Weekly Column: Improving Maine’s Roads and Bridges

August 22, 2007

Let’s face it, summer in Maine is not long enough. Perhaps that is why nearly all Maine communities around the state find creative ways to celebrate all that summer has to offer. In the Augusta area, many enjoy the Great Kennebec River Whatever Family Festival or Old Hallowell Days. This weekend, thousands will travel to Bangor to enjoy the American Folk Festival on the Bangor Waterfront.

For others around the country, late summer and early fall can be a dangerous time of year. Right now, states in the south and Mexico are experiencing the start of what could be a fierce hurricane season. The damage that accompanies these storms can often be unpredictable and deadly. Unfortunately, for many who live in those areas, hurricanes are a serious reality this time of year.

While our scientists try to get better and better at predicting when natural disasters may occur, we are fortunate we have the technology to predict manmade ones from happening. In the wake of the recent bridge collapse in Minneapolis, which caused the death of 13 motorists and travelers, many government leaders decided to take another look at the safety of their bridges and roads. Governor Baldacci was one of those leaders here in Maine.

The Governor ordered an inspection of Maine’s bridges, with a focus on those sharing engineering features similar to the bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis. After an extensive review, the Maine Department of Transportation reported that our state has six bridges similar to the one in Minneapolis. One of those six bridges is the Memorial Bridge here in Augusta. Since the Memorial Bridge was recently rehabilitated, the inspection found the bridge to be safe and in good shape.

Maine DOT inspects 3,700 bridges every two years and is responsible for repairing nearly 2,800 of them. In order to maintain this infrastructure, lawmakers have pushed hard for new sources of funding while at the same time have worked to maximize existing budgets.

To help, this past legislative session, lawmakers sent a $136 Million transportation bond package for voter approval. Broken into two parts, Maine voters approved the first bond package this past June and will have another opportunity to decide on the second half in June 2008. In addition to the bond package, the Legislature also passed LD 1790, An Act to Secure Maine’s Transportation Future. The legislation will deliver a comprehensive, transportation capital improvement program that is geographically balanced and addresses urban and rural needs. Under the goals of the bill, within 20 years 1,900 miles of state highways that have not been reconstructed in over 50 years will be modernized and roughly one-third of the State’s aging bridge inventory will be replaced or substantially rehabilitated.

Maine DOT has pointed out that its current budget can only support replacing about 14 bridges per year. They anticipate that over the next ten years, as many as 288 bridges could be closed or posted if the funding is not secured to replace or rehabilitate them. To reach that goal, about 32 bridges would need to be fixed or replaced every year.

While we have little control over natural disasters like hurricanes and the destruction they can bring, the bridge collapse in Minneapolis was a man made problem. Although our state population here in Maine is relatively small compared to most states, our state’s infrastructure is quite large. The Maine Department of Transportation has outlined the solutions to address our current and future transportation needs. It is now up to all of us to start making some serious choices about how much money we want to spend to address the recommendations they have suggested.

Libby Mitchell is the Senate Majority Leader in the Maine Senate. She represents the communities of Augusta, Vassalboro, China, Oakland, and Sidney for District 24.