Work Progresses on Two Projects at Maine-Canada Border

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Building continues transferring ahead to exchange a brand new bridge and revamped port of entry connecting Maine and Canada to save lots of vehicles from an extended detour as a consequence of load restrictions on an growing older 100-year-old bridge.

An uptick in U.S.-Canadian freight visitors is anticipated on the finish of subsequent yr with the twin opening of Maine’s $97.5 million Madawaska Worldwide Bridge substitute venture and its adjoining new U.S. Customs and Border Safety’s land port of entry with Canada’s metropolis of Edmundston in New Brunswick.

“The completion of a brand new bridge will guarantee a safer, extra dependable and far faster route for the remainder of our lifetimes,” Paul Merrill, director of communications at Maine Division of Transportation, advised Transport Matters. “The present truck detour is 52 miles. That is an financial burden on companies on either side of the worldwide border.”

Building groups are constructing a brand new bridge over the St. John River that not solely is in a distinct location 1,400 toes upstream from the present one, however it’s twice so long as the present bridge and constructed at a 45-degree angle in Maine’s northern-most city of Madawaska.

The brand new bridge may have wider journey lanes, shoulders on either side, a raised sidewalk and metal girders supported on concrete substructures designed to final a century.

The prevailing two-lane bridge, in-built 1920, is out of date and so deteriorated that it has been weight-restricted to five tons since 2017 — inflicting delays in border crossings, posing difficulties for emergency response autos and limiting commerce, particularly for Maine’s paper mills and lumber industries.

“Transporting the uncooked supplies and completed items for these industries is now hampered within the area as a result of vehicles can not use the bridge for commerce connecting mills to suppliers and huge Canadian markets. Vehicles should now detour to different border crossings, creating further prices within the type of truck miles on space roads, further roadway security considerations for different areas within the area and better manufacturing bills which are burdensome to the remaining employers within the space,” in keeping with a Maine Division of Transportation federal grant software.

The Federal Freeway Administration awarded the bridge venture $36 million in 2019 via an Infrastructure for Rebuilding American grant. The remaining venture prices are being shared by Maine DOT and Canada’s New Brunswick Division of Transportation and Infrastructure. 

Final month, Maine Gov. Janet Mills joined different state officers on a tour of the Madawaska-Edmundston Worldwide Bridge Mission.

“Changing the Worldwide Bridge helps the protected journey of American and Canadian residents and guests alike, in addition to the energy of small companies who depend on the bridge to move their merchandise throughout our borders,” Mills stated.

This yr state legislators kicked in an additional $185 million into the venture — eliminating the necessity for a bond issuance and offsetting excessive building prices with inflation and pandemic-related shortfalls within the freeway fund income.

Maine DOT Commissioner Bruce Van Observe remarked: “State funding coupled with continued assist from our federal companions helped make this venture and others potential.”

He additionally thanked New Brunswick officers “who’ve been wonderful companions throughout the planning, design, allowing and building phases of this venture.”

When the brand new bridge is opened to visitors, anticipated on the finish of 2023, Maine DOT will flip its consideration to demolishing the previous bridge (that may shut the venture by June 2025). Maine DOT began bridge building in Could 2021, whereas official groundbreaking for the brand new port facility started final September.

The brand new border crossing facility (additionally positioned in a distinct spot) will exchange an operationally poor facility in-built 1959.

U.S. Common Companies Administration is dealing with building of the $69 million port modernization and growth venture for CBP. Spanning 11 acres, the brand new port facility will function area for administration, coaching, employees, school rooms and assist for processing, enforcement and inspection. It additionally may have an space for agricultural inspections. It should even be designed to accommodate nonintrusive inspection gear.

The brand new land can be positioned close to the Trans-Canada Freeway, passing via Edmundston, which is an important east-west transportation hyperlink for U.S. items as a result of it connects Canada’s 10 provinces. After completion, the port may have its designation modified to be a industrial port.

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