The Story
Constructed in 1932, the Frank J. Wood Bridge is one of the largest metal truss bridges built during the Great Depression in Maine. The 815-foot-long bridge touts a 310-foot central span, that not only served as a connector for automobiles and pedestrians, but also for an interurban rail line that connected the Brunswick area with Lewiston. The bridge’s trio of metal spans became an iconic symbol along the Androscoggin River, between Brunswick and Topsham, featured in advertisements, on phone books, and serving as a subject of photographers for decades.
The Threat
Many of Maine’s bridges are in alarmingly bad shape, including the Frank J. Wood Bridge. The Society of Civil Engineers found that the floor system is failing, crossbeams are deteriorated, and the sidewalk supports are corroded. In 2017, the Maine Department of Transportation proposed a plan to completely replace the bridge, asserting that rehabilitation of the historic structure would cost more than building new. Construction of a new bridge also raised concerns about potentially obstructing the remaining view of the natural waterfalls from the road, covering a significant Native American and early European historic site, and having a potentially harmful impact on three endangered species of fish which spawn at the foot of the dam.
The Friends of the Frank J. Woods Bridge has formed in an attempt to save the bridge. In the fall of 2020, this group, along with National Trust for Historic Preservation and The Historic Bridge Foundation, filed a lawsuit against the Maine DOT and the Federal Highway Administration with the goal of enforcing preservation rather than replacement.
How to Get Involved
Click here to learn more about the history of the Frank J. Wood bridge and the significant role it has played in the area for nearly a century.
Watch the oral arguments for the appeal to preserve the bridge held in the First District Court in Boston on September 13, 2021 which can be accessed here.
Contact the Friends of the Frank J. Wood Bridge via email to offer your support and follow them on Facebook for the latest updates.
