Although a definitive answer on what will happen to the dike bridge in Machias is far from ready, the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced at a meeting April 2 that its preliminary recommendation is to replace the bridge in kind at an estimated cost of $2.4 million.
     The project is estimated to be completed in June 2022, says Michael Wight, senior project manager in MDOT's bridge program. The preliminary design process would continue through June 2019, with the final design estimated to be completed in August of 2020. Construction would begin in October 2020.
     In addition to presenting the recommendation, Wight shared an overview of the current condition of the bridge and the remedies considered. The public meeting took place on campus of the University of Maine at Machias. Comments from the audience, which filled the auditorium in the Science Building, on the current recommendation were mostly positive.
     Wight says MDOT has rated the condition of the bridge at a 4 on a scale from 0 to 9 in which 0 is closed and 9 is excellent. The reason for the low rating has to do with wear to the bridge structure and flapper gates, including cracks, missing concrete and wood, exposed and corroded steel and "the need for numerous and urgent and unscheduled repairs."
     MDOT looked at a variety of factors when developing its list of options, Wight says. "One of our big findings was a historic property and it's the remains of the oval horse racing track," he said. The asymmetrical track was constructed more than 100 years ago when the property was used as a fairgrounds. "I've been told this is kind of unique." Other significant factors included changes in the water level of the pond, potential flooding to nearby properties and the fact that the Downeast Sunrise Trail also crosses the dike bridge. Other considerations were tide restoration and fish passage.
     Options ranged from replacing the current structure with fewer tide gates than are currently there at an estimated cost of $2.2 million to replacing the dike with a regular bridge that does not restrict water in any form at an estimated cost of $4.5 million.
     MDOT officials rated the options on the difficulties associated with each one. They chose to replace the bridge in kind because it is one of the easiest to accomplish, is cost effective, avoids impact to upstream property owners, avoids impact to the race track and avoids reducing the area of the upstream pond. "The exact location of the bridge may change a bit," Wight said, adding it may be constructed farther to the east than it is now.
     Wight cited federal law that gives the U.S. government the right to control waterways without paying property owners for any losses they incur. "I can't compensate property owners, and that's a big reason we really don't want to make flooding worse upstream," Wight said.
     After Wight opened the meeting to questions and comments, Machias historian Valdine Atwood spoke up regarding the history of the dike as presented at the meeting by MDOT. "Some of the things you did in your presentation were not correct," she said, citing the documents of the time.      The crowd applauded after she came up to the podium to present a short history of her own.
Others commented specifically on the proposal. John Sprague of Marshfield said he has not been pleased by many things the state has done locally. "But, I'm very pleased that they're deciding to fix the dike in kind," he said. "Thank you."
     Chris Sprague, who owns the property on which the race track is located, was another one of several who expressed thanks.
     Others asked questions. Judy East, executive director of the Washington County Council of Governments, asked if MDOT would consider raising the deck due to the anticipated rising of sea levels. "They really are coming up," she said. "I'm not going to fight you on that," Wight said. The immediate problem is to build a new bridge without taking the time to factor in rising sea levels. However, it will be designed in such a way that it can be raised at a later time, he said.
     Bob Whitman of Marshfield asked about how traffic would be handled. Wight said that will be determined during the next phase of the project. He acknowledged many other area roads are not designed to handle the traffic and that MDOT will, most likely, divert traffic to one side of the road so it can pass the work area. "We're going to do our best to keep traffic impacts to a minimum," he said.
     Charles Rudelitch of Harrington, who serves as executive director of the Sunrise County Economic Council, asked whether the dike is at risk of collapse, like the Eastport breakwater, which caused many problems for the community. "You will see it coming," Wight said. "It won't happen suddenly." He said any failures would most likely be "isolated" and won't cause the closure of the road.