Casco Bay Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Casco Bay Bridge is a bascule bridge
that spans the Fore River
, connecting South Portland
and Portland, Maine
, USA.
, which was almost 70 years old, was inadequate for current needs. This bridge, also a draw bridge, had only two traffic lanes and offered severely limited clearances for maritime traffic. Given increases in tanker commerce and increased usage of the bridge, a replacement was decided on, and construction started in 1993. The Casco Bay Bridge was completed in 1997.
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The new Casco Bay Bridge has four 12 foot (3.7 m) wide lanes, with a pedestrian lane on its eastern side. The bridge is supported by several 7 foot (2.1m meter) thick concrete H-pile cylinders, which the bridge's steel girders sit atop. The new bridge has much higher horizontal and vertical clearances, which allow larger ships access further into the Fore River, with the bascule also having to open less frequently. Extra precautions were taken to ensure that the bridge had sufficient pier protection (during construction to the bridge, the existing Million Dollar Bridge was struck at its piers by the oil tanker Julie N.
, which spilled roughly 179,600 gallons (679,860 liters) of heating oil into Casco Bay). The bridge's steelwork was painted red in order to make it aesthetically pleasing.
The final cost for the Casco Bay Bridge was 130 million dollars, making it the largest project undertaken by the Maine Department of Transportation at the time.
Bascule bridge
A bascule bridge is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span, or "leaf," throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic....
that spans the Fore River
Fore River (Maine)
The Fore River is a short horn-shaped estuary, approximately long, separating Portland and South Portland in Maine in the United States. Many of the port facilities of the Portland harbor are along the estuary, which is formed just southwest of Portland by the confluence of several creeks...
, connecting South Portland
South Portland, Maine
South Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state. Founded in 1895, as of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of...
and Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, USA.
History
In 1987 the state of Maine, in concert with surrounding towns, concluded that the existing Million Dollar BridgeMillion Dollar Bridge (Maine)
The Million Dollar Bridge was a bascule bridge built in 1916 which carried traffic on Route 77 over the Fore River in Maine between Portland and South Portland....
, which was almost 70 years old, was inadequate for current needs. This bridge, also a draw bridge, had only two traffic lanes and offered severely limited clearances for maritime traffic. Given increases in tanker commerce and increased usage of the bridge, a replacement was decided on, and construction started in 1993. The Casco Bay Bridge was completed in 1997.
Design
Julie N.
The Julie N. is a Liberian Tanker that was involved in an oil spill occurring on the Fore River on September 27, 1996, in Portland, Maine. The 560 ft ship was carrying over 200,000 barrels of heating oil and was headed towards a docking station in South Portland to unload its...
, which spilled roughly 179,600 gallons (679,860 liters) of heating oil into Casco Bay). The bridge's steelwork was painted red in order to make it aesthetically pleasing.
The final cost for the Casco Bay Bridge was 130 million dollars, making it the largest project undertaken by the Maine Department of Transportation at the time.