Bridge replacement may start soon as July 2019

It's been almost three years since the bridge was removed. (Lebanon Voice file photo)

MILTON - If all goes well, a new bridge will span the Northeast Pond channel connecting New Bridge Road in Lebanon and Town House Road in Milton by June 2020.

Administrative agreements between New Hampshire and Maine will be worked on soon, likely this summer, said Nancy Mayville of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation on Wednesday. She said constructions is set to be completed between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.

"Engineering probably needs to be done in the next few months," Mayville added.

To that end Milton selectmen on Monday spoke with a Laconia engineering firm, Dubois and King, who offered to act as a liaison on the project.

Milton Selectmen Chairman Tom Gray said today he was pleased with the progress, especially in light of the multi-governmental agencies involved in the bridge's replacement.

"I'm happy that it's moving forward," Gray said today. "I knew it would be a process; it's tough when you have three (government) entities working together.

The funding will be divided between Maine and New Hampshire, with Maine's share paid for by the state, while New Hampshire's financial burden is divided between the state and Milton, 80 percent-20 percent, respectively.

Maine will take the lead in construction of the span.

Maine transportation department officials have said in the past they expect to be ready with the funding when New Hampshire and Milton are ready to fund their share.

The replacement of the $1.4 million two-lane bridge has been long sought after by Jeff Everett of Everetts Cove Marina who expressed cautious optimism on Wednesday that construction will go forward as planned.

His business has suffered losses since the bridge was condemned and removed two years ago.

Other businesses like a Milton convenience store closed outright soon after the bridge was removed.

The old bridge, which had been closed for vehicle traffic for a couple of years saw its fate sealed when in September 2012 a Maine DOT bridge engineer declared it unsafe to even bicycle and pedestrian traffic, sparking liability fears by Milton officials who took down their side of the bridge the next month. Maine soon followed by taking down the Lebanon side.

A two-lane replacement truss bridge was later settled on by town and state officials. The bridge was estimated to cost about $1.4 million, putting Milton's full outlay at around $140,000.

Milton would need to pay about $15,000 in engineering costs associated with replacing the bridge to the state DOT in order to put it on a replacement list.

Milton Town Administrator Liz Dionne said on Wednesday that the town had sent assurances of its willingness to pay its share in May 2014, setting up the current schedule and placing the bridge in queue for replacement.

Meanwhile, Mayville said on Wednesday her department was still operating under the assumption that the bridge replacement project would still cost $1.4 million, but Gray worried today that estimate was two years ago and could be out of date.

The Laconia engineering firm offered no firm estimate on its costs yet since their first meeting with town officials was just Monday.

"We have to find out what this bridge is going to cost (now)," Gray said, adding he was confident Milton would have the money necessary to pay their share when replacement construction began as early as July 2019.

It was learned last year that the town could tap into state highway grant money to help offset the cost plus taxpayers have been funding bridge repair reserve accounts the past two years.

Lebanon Selectmen Chairman Ben Thompson on Wednesday also voiced his optimism for the project moving forward as quickly as possible, adding, "I'm absolutely pleased."