Maine DOT to hold informational public meeting about Madawaska international bridge

MADAWASKA, Maine — The Maine Department of Transportation will hold an informational public meeting 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 12, in the Madawaska Middle High School cafeteria. 

Officials with the Maine and New Brunswick transportation agencies, engineering consultants and other representatives from U.S. and Canadian agencies unveiled plans in January 2019 to build the new bridge extending from the existing span’s location in Edmundston and ending about 1,300 feet up the St. John River from the existing port of entry in Madawaska.

The current bridge was built in 1921 and is about 20 years beyond its anticipated lifespan. After engineers expressed concerns about the bridge’s structural integrity in October 2017, officials restricted the bridge’s weight limit to five tons, severely limiting heavy commercial traffic. 

“[This] open house will provide information on the International Bridge replacement project and give the public an opportunity to ask questions and provide comments to the project design and environmental teams,” the Maine DOT said.

There will be no formal presentation on the state project and there will be no discussion about the Madawaska Land Port of Entry, which is being built through the U.S. General Services Administration. 

“The Madawaska-Edmundston International Bridge is a critical connection between the communities of Madawaska, Maine and Edmundston, New Brunswick,” the Maine DOT said. “The current bridge is nearly 100 years old and needs to be replaced. We continue to work with our partners at the New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure on the design, funding and outreach surrounding this project.”