Lebanon bridge $$$ could be X factor ... could be no factor

The bridge was removed in fall 2012. (Lebanon Voice file photo)

Maine's Department of Transportation official this week sought to clarify the department's rationale for what appears to be its prodding of Lebanon to pledge partial funding for a replacement New Bridge Road bridge, a span that is officially state owned and state maintained.

Department spokesman Ted Talbot said on Monday that a pledge of partial funding would improve the bridge replacement project's chance of moving forward for the 2019-20 fiscal year, but wouldn't guarantee it.

"That bridge has to compete for funding projects yet to be identified," said Talbot. "Partial funding could help its chances, but doesn't guarantee it."

He also said the town might not pledge money, and the state would still move ahead with the project at no cost to Lebanon.

At a Lebanon Board of Selectmen's meeting on Aug. 15, Jim Foster, a Maine DOT Bridge Management engineer, noted that if the town wanted to move toward replacing the bridge during that fiscal year, they would have to make "a commitment" by October or November, according to meeting minutes posted online.

Talbot said, however, there was no mandate that the town make a financial commitment, only that if they did it could have a positive impact on the department's decision on whether or not to move forward with the replacement, a decision that will likely be made in December.

Talbot also said there was no precedent for such town funding of a state owned and maintained bridge, but added that projects such as these are woefully underfunded, adding "if we went by the books, we'd never replace it."

New Hampshire DOT bridge engineer Nancy Mayville said last month the bridge project was moving forward with replacement set for FY 2019-20, which would mean sometime between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020.

It was just days later that Foster said not so fast, that there was no money earmarked and no timetable determined.

When the Garage Way bridge was replaced about 10 years ago, there was no funding by Lebanon, Foster confirmed, but when pressed on why that would change, he refused comment, instead directing further inquiries to the department's public affairs office.

The funding mechanism for bridges between Lebanon, Maine, and Milton, N.H., has historically been that Maine pays half, with New Hampshire's half being shared between Milton (20 percent) and New Hampshire (80 percent).

Talbot said Lebanon officials will have to make their best case for the bridge replacement project's inclusion in the 2019-20 fiscal year quickly. The state has to have a request for funding by December in order to finalize its list of projects to be undertaken in January. Whether the town puts some money down as part of its request might have an impact, or it might not, Talbot said.

He said that other factors such as car and foot traffic over the bridge as well as public safety concerns would also hold sway in any decision.

When the bridge was first taken down eight years ago, former Maine engineer Chip Getchell hinted that Lebanon money might be necessary to expedite the project.

Earlier this month, however, State Sen. Ron Collins, who represents Lebanon, said he'd be surprised if the state came to Lebanon for funding at this point in time. Collins, who serves as co-chair of the state's Transportation Committee, added it was premature to be discussing any potential money that might be required as there's no current price tag on replacing the span.

A year ago, the cost of the replacement bridge had been estimated at around $1.4 million but that number had been bandied about already for a couple of years.

The bridge was removed in the fall of 2012 when decking was shown to be rotting and the substructure was deemed in "critical" condition.

Maine's listing of the bridge, dated July 2013 and shown below, lists Maine DOT as owner and maintainer of the bridge.