The Maine and New Hampshire Departments of Transportation just issued an update on the delayed opening of the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge: Despite rumors about why it's delayed, the bridge is "operational and safe."
The $170 million replacement bridge, which carries the Route 1 bypass over the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth and Kittery, was officially commissioned in January.
The old bridge closed in August of 2016. The new span was originally slated to open last fall. It is now expected to open in May.
DOT, in its statement Friday, reports the bridge was successfully lifted and operated under a variety of simulated scenarios. Training of DOT bridge lift operators is complete. The outstanding work is mostly routine. And, as a result, DOT engineers are currently evaluating all options for opening the bridge sooner than the most recent schedule indicated by the construction contractor, Cianbro.
