Multi-year Bridge Replacement Project In Old Town Could Start In February

A multi-year project to replace a bridge that carries a major Old Town artery over the Stillwater River, as well as make other improvements on a crash-prone stretch of road, could start as soon as February now that the Maine Department of Transportation has purchased two properties that are in the way. The department plans to replace the bridge that carries Stillwater Avenue over the Stillwater River through a series of projects that will likely last three to four years and cost about $20 million, according to department spokesperson Paul Merrill. The work also involves new pavement and the reconstruction of sidewalks on a road that saw 84 crashes between 2016 and 2018. The project is set to go out to bid in December. The bridge was originally built in 1952 and is in poor condition, according to a Department of Transportation presentation given to the city of Old Town in 2019. The early work includes paving on Stillwater Avenue, College Avenue and Bennoch Road, plus the reconstruction of sidewalks within the project zone, Merrill said.