The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) participated in the ceremonial launch of the new Sarah Mildred Long Bridge spanning the Piscataqua River between Maine and New Hampshire. The project, estimated to cost $170 million, relies on $25 million from the U.S. DOT’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program. Acting FHWA Administrator Gregory Nadeau was on hand for the kickoff event.
“We’re putting Americans to work building bridges, like this one, not just for the next generation but for decades to come,” said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “We need more projects like this in every state, to fix our aging infrastructure–and we need Congress’ help to pass the president’s Grow America Act to make that possible.”
President Obama’s Grow America Act, a four-year, $302 billion transportation reauthorization proposal, would provide increased funding for the nation’s highways, bridges, transit and rail systems, as well as $5 billion for the TIGER program to help projects like the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge Replacement throughout the country.
Construction workers will soon begin replacing the 65-year-old bridge, which serves an estimated 14,000 drivers each day between Kittery and Portsmouth, N.H.
The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge also provides railroad access to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, which employs approximately 4,200 workers, and carries crucial commercial traffic along the U.S. Rte. 1 Bypass including movement of people and goods. It also serves as the primary emergency alternate bridge for the I-95 High Level Bridge connecting both states.
The project is expected to be completed in late 2017 and will require closure of the existing bridge for about 10 months to accommodate bridge approach work.
