Old Town bridge to close for inspection after span collapse

The Old Town bridge over the Stillwater River will close next Wednesday to allow inspectors to investigate the collapse of a span on the new Llewellyn Estes Bridge. The collapse occurred on August 14 during concrete pouring, resulting in one injury.

The Maine Department of Transportation is collaborating with the Federal Highway Administration to determine the cause of the failure on the $28 million project. While the temporary bridge carrying Stillwater Avenue has shown no collateral damage, the closure will necessitate traffic detours.

The project involves materials from Basalt International and girders designed by the University of Maine’s Advance Structures and Composites Center. It remains unclear how the incident will impact the total cost or the construction timeline.