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MDOT presents Oceanville bridge options; granite-facing would cost towns roughly $100,000 under municipal agreement
Summary
MDOT engineers told Stonington Selectmen the Oceanville bridge replacement raises foundation and aesthetic issues; a granite-facing option carries an estimated price tag that could require a municipal cost-share (MDOT offered a 50% municipal agreement for facing costs, putting the town share at about $100,000).
State Department of Transportation engineers briefed the Selectmen on replacement options for the Oceanville bridge and explained why granite-facing and abutment work add complexity and cost.
MDOT representatives Andrew Lathe and Jaime French reviewed site geology, noting northern piling and abutment conditions that complicate reuse of existing foundations. They presented an option that retains a granite aesthetic for the abutment faces; the estimate for that facing work was described during the presentation at roughly $200,000. MDOT offered a municipal agreement in which the town could pay half of the surface-facing cost (approximately $100,000) to preserve the granite appearance.
Community members and selectmen raised questions about one-lane versus two-lane designs and whether cement or other stabilization could reduce costs. MDOT said bedrock and soil conditions (glacial till vs. bedrock) limited options and that engineering trade-offs would drive final cost and design. Selectmen thanked MDOT for the presentation and said they would seek public feedback and consider whether to request additional engineering opinions before committing to a municipal cost share.
No formal municipal funding decision was made at the meetings recorded in the transcript; the Selectmen indicated they would hold follow-up discussions and listen to abutter and community input before returning to the matter.
