AUGUSTA — Temporary repairs on the downtown Father Curran Bridge Thursday morning are going even better than expected, Assistant State Bridge Maintenance Engineer John Buxton said this morning.

By about 10:45 a.m., Buxton reported that Maine Department of Transportation crews were about half done installing heavy, three-quarter-inch-thick steel plates over a deteriorated expansion joint on the bridge.

Crews also found they could keep one lane of traffic open in each direction, easing delays that had been expected, he said.

“Things are going really smoothly,” Buxton said. “There are no backups. It’s very good, better than I had hoped.”

Drivers had been cautioned that the work might continue until 3 p.m., and while the actual installation of the plates has gone faster than expected, Buxton said, workers are planning to try to install pavement shims to minimize the bump as tires mount the plates.

“I’d still use the 3 o’clock window, but in reality, it probably will be before that,” he said.

Officials recently discovered a deteriorated expansion joint on the east end of the downtown bridge and decided to install heavy metal plates over it to prevent further damage until the joint could be replaced in warmer weather.
The plates are being bolted to the bridge deck.

Later in the spring replacement of the expansion joint itself will take at least two-three weeks, Buxton said. During that work traffic may have to alternated on one lane in each direction.

Gary Remal — 621-5642
gremal@centralmaine.com