The Blue Hill Falls Bridge (Falls Bridge) was constructed in 1926, as an overhead concrete arch bridge spanning between the reversing falls across Salt Pond leading to the Atlantic Ocean in Blue Hill, Maine. At the time of construction, the arch design was new and was expected to last 100 years.

The picturesque Falls Bridge gradually deteriorated over the years, eventually falling into a state of disrepair. Cianbro was selected to replace the existing concrete arch bridge with a new clear span concrete bridge utilizing precast concrete girders and approach beams. One of the design considerations within the community for the new bridge was the ability to maximize the scenic vistas of the ocean and falls, a goal successfully achieved with the chosen clear span design.

In the spring of 2022, work started with the installation of a temporary detour bridge to divert traffic. Once this was done, the existing structure was dismantled. Since the arch bridge held sentimental value for the local community, the team worked closely with the Blue Hill Historical Society to preserve the bridge’s plaque, the four bridge finials, and pieces of the bridge rails.

With the temporary bridge in place, work on the new bridge got underway in the spring of 2023. The new bridge accommodates two lanes of traffic with shoulders for walkers and bikers. Many parts of the arch bridge were salvaged during demolition to incorporate into the new design including the granite block abutments. A consistent channel width was also preserved to retain the “falls effect” of the water flowing below the bridge. Additionally, the bridge provides a recreational haven for whitewater kayakers and surfers.

The new bridge design incorporates New England Bulb Tee (NEBT) precast concrete girders and arched architectural fascia panels to represent the previous arch bridge. To allow the 105-foot precast concrete girders to be set in place, the road was closed to local traffic for 11 days to place five girders over the main span of the inlet and 16 structural concrete beams for the approaches. Project site coordination and route planning with police escorts was key for precast component delivery from J. P. Carrara & Sons, Inc. in Middlebury, Vermont.

“One of the challenges for the project was that not many team members live in the area. Many of them travel, so big commitments were needed from them to be here when we need them. They are doing a great job,” said Cal Senesac, project superintendent. Other challenges the team faced are not uncommon to Cianbro projects, including the limited space on site for storing materials, the logistics of transporting materials to the job site, and the difficult access of tight, narrow coastal Maine roads. Detailed planning was necessary for working with these challenges.

“The teamwork was great,” Cal said. “Daily, we worked in tight areas with quite a few team members doing different things. There were various challenges and schedule issues. Kudos to the team for making the big commitment needed to meet our deadlines.”

Substantial completion was reached in early winter of 2023.

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