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MDOT engineers say Oceanville bridge piles are compromised; town hears option to pay for granite facing
Summary
MDOT engineers told Stonington Selectmen the Oceanville bridge's northern piling sits on glacial till rather than bedrock and recommended structural replacement; MDOT outlined an option where the town could pay about half (~$100,000) of an estimated $200,000 granite facing/municipal agreement to match aesthetics.
Engineers from the Maine Department of Transportation told Stonington Selectmen that the Oceanville bridge replacement is driven by structural concerns and that aesthetic options such as granite facing would add cost that the town can choose to share.
At a July presentation, MDOT engineer Andrew Lathe told the Selectmen the northern piling beneath the bridge is too compromised and is not founded on bedrock, which limits inexpensive in‑place repairs. "The northern piling is too compromised and it is not on bedrock," Lathe said while explaining the geotechnical constraints. He described options including a full replacement and aesthetic granite facing to preserve the historic look of the causeway.
Lathe provided an order‑of‑magnitude estimate that resurfacing or granite facing would carry additional cost (discussed in the meeting as roughly $200,000 for the granite work); MDOT offered a municipal agreement approach in which the town could fund up to 50 percent of that work (roughly $100,000) to preserve the granite appearance along the approach. Residents asked whether concrete or other treatments could be used instead; engineers said solutions are possible but constrained by foundation conditions and long‑term performance considerations.
The Selectmen have met repeatedly with MDOT and scheduled site visits. TM Billings and board members said they want more community input before committing town funds, and some residents asked whether a one‑lane design with traffic signals would reduce cost. The board has not approved any municipal cost share; MDOT indicated it will continue outreach with abutters and the Selectmen to refine options and estimates.
Next steps: MDOT will complete further site‑specific design work and meet with abutters; the Selectmen may seek additional engineering opinion or community discussions before making any municipal agreement decision.
