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MDOT engineers outline costly options for Oceanville bridge; town faces potential $100,000 share for granite facing
Summary
MDOT engineers told Stonington selectmen the Oceanville bridge’s northern piling is compromised and not on bedrock, leaving fewer durable replacement options. Rough estimates for restoring granite facing run about $200,000; MDOT said a municipal agreement could ask the town to cover up to 50% (~$100,000) of that aesthetic work.
MDOT engineers briefed Stonington selectmen on plans to replace the Oceanville bridge, describing compromised northern piling and subsurface conditions that limit low‑cost fixes.
Andrew Lathe of the Maine Department of Transportation said the northern piling “is too compromised and it is not on bedrock,” which led engineers to conclude that simply replacing the metal span without broader work would be problematic. Jaime French, an MDOT engineering partner, said subsurface glacial till rather than bedrock constrains reinforcement options and complicates long‑term solutions.
Community members asked about retaining the granite facing that gives the crossing its character. Lathe said estimates to restore or redo the granite fascia were around $200,000 and noted that MDOT can offer a municipal agreement that would allow the town to fund aesthetic or heritage work. “A municipal agreement can be done for 50% of the cost which would be $100K for the town to pay for this granite facing,” he said.
Selectmen and residents suggested alternatives, including one‑lane designs with traffic signals and additional concrete reinforcement. MDOT staff cautioned that cement or other piling reinforcement is problematic where ledge is absent and said aesthetic treatments can be negotiated but structural work is driven by soils and safety requirements.
The board said it would solicit public feedback and consider return meetings with MDOT; no formal municipal agreement or appropriation was recorded in the minutes.
Next steps: MDOT will continue outreach and provide updated estimates; the selectmen advised they would weigh community input, financing options and any municipal agreement before committing to cost‑sharing.
