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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Trucks prohibited from using bridge near Topsham and Brunswick, Maine

Trucks will no longer be able to drive on the Frank J. Wood Bridge on U.S. 201 between Topsham and Brunswick in Maine for the foreseeable future, according to a Maine Department of Transportation news release.

Findings from a June bridge inspection prompted another inspection in early August. Inspectors identified rapid deterioration and demoted the bridge from fair condition to poor condition. As a result, MaineDOT engineers lowered the weight limit to 25 tons, affecting mostly large commercial vehicles.

Updated postings will begin at 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 18. According to the news release, the latest posting will remain for “multiple years.” Commercial vehicles will follow a bypass of approximately one mile.

MaineDOT engineers found deterioration of the structural steel. The fast deterioration near the floor beam ends and connection plates require immediate repairs, according to MaineDOT. Rehabilitation of the bridge occurred in 1985 and 2006. Heavy commercial trucks account for approximately 5 percent of daily traffic.