Waterville/Winslow bridge closed until June

Starting this past Monday, January 6, 2025, through June 20, 2025, the project will be closing the Ticonic bridge to all traffic for construction activities requiring access to the entire bridge. During this time, pedestrians will NOT be allowed to transit the bridge. Both pedestrians and vehicles will be required to follow the posted detour routes. The detour routes can be found in the traffic control drawings on the MaineDOT website (Plans F-H). Message boards will be used to warn drivers of the closure.

On June 20, westbound vehicle traffic will remain prohibited from the bridge for a period of approximately one year. Westbound traffic should continue to follow the detour routes that are posted. Eastbound traffic will be reopened at approximately 5 p.m., on June 20, 2025, and will be allowed access to the bridge during the westbound detour. At that time the bridge will reopen to pedestrian traffic utilizing the new sidewalk on the upstream side of the bridge.

The Maine Department of Transportation will be replacing the Ticonic Bridge (#2854), located on Route 201 over the Kennebec River, at the Waterville-Winslow town line. The Ticonic Bridge will be replaced on alignment, with a new two span, steel girder with concrete bridge deck structure. A single concrete pier will be built in the river to support the new bridge.

This new structure will replace the aging Ticonic Bridge, portions of which are over 100 years old and at the end of their useful life. The new bridge will carry five lanes of traffic similar to the existing bridge, feature widened shoulders for bicyclists, and include sidewalks on both sides of the bridge.

The new Ticonic Bridge will be built one half at a time. During construction limiting the number of lanes on the bridge will be necessary to provide the space needed by the contractor to demolish the existing bridge and to build the new one.

While construction is underway, two lanes of eastbound traffic will be maintained across the bridge with westbound traffic detoured south to the Carter Memorial Bridge. During the first half of construction, pedestrians will be detoured to the nearby Two Cent Bridge pedestrian crossing.

The bridge will be closed to all traffic and pedestrians for up to 25 weeks during construction to support the safe and efficient completion of critical construction activities.