The Joshua Chamberlain Bridge will have one-way traffic for nearly half of 2026 due to construction, according to plans released by the Maine Department of Transportation on Tuesday.
Drivers will be able to travel from Brewer to Bangor during the construction, but they will be rerouted to the Penobscot River Bridge, which carries State Street from Bangor to Brewer, to drive in the opposite direction.
Work is slated to start next May and be finished in October.
The Joshua Chamberlain Bridge, which connects Union and Wilson streets over the Penobscot River, requires nearly $5 million of work to repair bridge joints, multiple concrete piers and repave, according to the plans. Along with traffic being restricted, the Bangor river trail walk will be rerouted and the Brewer Riverwalk will have short-term closures.
One sidewalk on the bridge will be open during construction.
The project plans were posted to the Maine DOT website Tuesday as an on-demand public meeting. In-person meetings are conducted when a city requests one, which none have as of Tuesday, spokesperson Brittany Roberts said.
The presentation includes a section for public comments that will be open until Dec. 12.
Repairs of concrete abutments, three concrete piers and bearing seats are needed on the bridge, plans show. The bridge structure is rated as a mix of satisfactory and fair conditions.
Substructure repairs will be made in 2027 following the surface and joint repairs in 2026.
The project was slated to cost $1.5 million in 2022, but was also said to only need minor substructure repair. The cost rose after inspections showed a separate project was needed for the bridge’s pier repairs, said Michael Wight, senior project manager at Maine DOT.
While repairs are being made, traffic will be routed to the Penobscot Bridge, according to the plans. Washington Street in Bangor will have a dedicated right-turn lane and Penobscot Street in Brewer will have two left-turn lanes onto the Penobscot Bridge to maintain traffic flow on the bridge.
