The Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) provided an update on Thursday on its ongoing investigation into the collapse of the Llewellyn Estes Bridge in Old Town last Friday that left multiple construction workers with non-life-threatening injuries.
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At approximately 2:00 p.m. on August 14, the Llewellyn Estes Bridge partially collapsed while a construction crew was pouring its concrete deck.
An unspecified number of workers suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the collapse. The bridge was not open to traffic at the time of the collapse, and traffic was being directed across a temporary bridge during construction.
The new bridge was intended to replace the two-bridge system currently spanning the Stillwater River.
The MDOT began an investigation into the cause of the collapse, and the investigation remained ongoing as of Thursday.
In Thursday’s update, the MDOT revealed that the Federal Highway Administration’s Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center has joined the investigation to provide assistance and independent analysis.
The MDOT has completed its inspection of the temporary bridge and determined that it was not damaged and is safe for use.
Investigators are inspecting the structure and working to remove debris.
Bridge beam designer and fabricator Basalt Engineering International, general bridge contractor Reed & Reed, Inc., and the Advanced Structures and Composites Center will all play a role in the investigation.
A physical inspection is set for August 26 and will require additional road closures.
The MDOT did not release any details indicating the cause of the collapse.
A 2023 report from the Bangor Daily News put the cost of the project at $28,787,000. It is not clear how much extra cost the collapse will add to the project, or when it is now expected to be finished.
