New & Awesome Photos of the International Bridge in Madawaska, ME

The Maine Department of Transportation shared some photos of the progress on the new Madawaska-Edmundston International Bridge.

The New International Bridge is Twice as Long

The new bridge runs diagonally across the St. John River and when finished, will be almost twice as long as the original bridge. The work started in September of 2021 and it is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2023.

History in the Making

The new structure is built to last for 100 years. The current bridge was finished in 1921 and had a life expectancy of about 80 years. There’s been a reduced weight limit to 5 tons on the existing bridge since 2017 due to safety concerns.

Bridge Photos from MDOT

Take a look at the pictures posted by the Maine Department of Transportation.

Price Tag

The price for the bridge project is $97.5 million funded by a $36 million grant. Additionally financing comes form the Maine Department of Transportation and the New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

American & Canadian Crews Doing the Work

The work is being done by American crews on the United States side of the border and Canadian construction crews on the New Brunswick side. The two come together at the international line.

Bigger Bridge

The newly designed bridge is 12 feet wider than the current bridge and will have wider travel lanes at 12 feet (the 1921 structure has lanes that are 10 feet 4 inches), according to the Bangor Daily News.

Madawaska Port of Entry is Busy

The Madawaska port of entry is the third busiest in New England for auto traffic and the sixth busiest for trucking, said the BDN.