Maine, New Hampshire DOTs reach construction cost agreement for Sarah Mildred Long Bridge

The Maine and New Hampshire departments of transportation recently reached a tentative construction cost agreement with Cianbro Corp. regarding the replacement of the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge in Kittery, Maine.

The $158.5 million agreement is a major milestone for the project, which is scheduled to begin in late 2014 and conclude in August 2017, Maine and New Hampshire officials said in a joint press release.

The structure is the second-most significant bridge for Maine, serving as the only backup to an Interstate 95 high-level bridge, Maine officials said.

In August 2012, Maine Gov. Paul LePage and the Federal Highway Administration approved the use of a construction manager/general contractor procurement method that enabled the Maine DOT to hire Cianbro. In November 2012, Figg/Hardesty and Hanover signed a contract to design the bridge.

Earlier this month, the states won a $25 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery VI grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the bridge's rail portion, which will serve as the key component for moving nuclear material out of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Maine officials said.