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Updated: September 16, 2025

Frank J. Wood Bridge between Topsham-Brunswick set for demolition

a green steel bridge over a river with a big brick mill on the other side File photo The Frank J. Wood Bridge, spanning the Androscoggin River between Topsham and Brunswick, will be replaced by late 2026. Reed & Reed Inc. is the contractor on the $49.9 million project for the Maine Department of Transportation.
By Renee Cordes

Reed & Reed Inc., a general contractor based in Woolwich, is getting ready to replace a heavily trafficked bridge on Maine’s midcoast.

The $49.9 million project for the Maine Department of Transportation entails demolishing the Frank J. Wood Bridge, which opened in 1937 and carries Route 201 over the Androscoggin River between Brunswick and Topsham, and replacing it with a new structure designed to last 100 years. 

Out of 19,256 vehicles that use the bridge daily, heavy commercial trucks make up 5% of the volume, according to the MaineDOT.

The MaineDOT anticipates starting the demolition work sometime this winter, according to a spokesman for the agency. The new structure will be located on a curved upstream alignment and will feature enhancements requested by a local design advisory committee. 

The Frank J. Wood Bridge had been the subject of preservation efforts, including a lawsuit to block its demolition, but MaineDOT said the replacement bridge "will improve safety and reliability for the surrounding communities."

Traffic closures and detours 

Starting Sunday, Sept. 21, the MaineDOT will close the Frank J. Wood Bridge to northbound traffic for 89 consecutive days, excluding national holidays.

During that time, northbound traffic traveling from Brunswick to Topsham will be detoured via the Topsham Bypass and Route 196.

Bridge detour map
Map / Courtesy of Maine Department of Transportation
Traffic detours will be in place starting Sept. 22 for the bridge replacement project.

The bridge will remain open to southbound traffic throughout the closure, with one exception: there will be six overnight full closures, during which both directions of traffic will be restricted. These closures will occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. 

Dates for the overnight closures have not yet been scheduled, but electronic message boards will provide advance notice and detour instructions to drivers.

Construction timeline 

Construction is expected to be substantially complete in late 2026, with traffic anticipated to begin using the new structure before that time.

The new bridge will include sidewalks on both sides (including pedestrian viewing areas), wider shoulders on both sides, parks on both ends, special railings, lighting and unobstructed views of the natural and architectural features of the surrounding Pejepscot Falls site.

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