In June, dozens of Barters Island residents made their intentions known about the bridge renovation project scheduled for 2017. Nearly all the approximately 50 residents told Maine Department of Transportation representatives at an informational session they wanted the 79-year-old bridge to remain manually operated.

At the second information session held Feb. 25 in the Boothbay Fire Station, DOT officials explained — to approximately 40 residents — maintaining the structure as a manually operated bridge was “impractical.” The bridge renovations plans haven’t been finalized. But DOT consultant Tom Kendrick, a professional engineer, explained the renovated bridge would likely be mechanized.

The preliminary plans call for a wider and heavier bridge to deal with modern traffic patterns. And the design change requires a mechanized system, according to Kendrick.

The current bridge, built in the 1930s, has a timber deck and weighs 100,000 pounds. The proposed renovation involves a wider concrete surface weighing approximately 500,000 pounds.

A heavier bridge also requires two operators for raising the bridge during a mechanical malfunction, according to Kendrick.

“Due to design loads, we are proposing making it 20 feet wider. Also to make it last, we need a heavier bridge so for those reasons a mechanized system is a more practical option,” he said.

Kendrick was the primary speaker during the DOT’s second informational hearing regarding the bridge renovation. He explained the Barters Island Bridge badly needs maintenance. The bridge rated poorly in a federal audit scoring a 24 on a scale of 100. The audit indicated the span’s substructure was “in good condition,” but the remaining structure was “insufficient.”

The DOT has placed the Barters Island Bridge project high on its 2017 priority list. The DOT will unveil the finalized plans during a June public hearing in Boothbay. So far, the preliminary plan proposes advertising for a construction contractor in May 2017. In July 2017, the contractor is expected to begin constructing the temporary bridge. In Fall 2017, traffic is expected to shift to the temporary bridge as renovations begin on the Barters Island Bridge.

The DOT expects to complete the renovations in spring 2018.

After Kendrick completed his presentation, the DOT held a question-and-answer session. One resident asked whether lobstermen could navigate through the bridge during winter construction. The DOT is working on a plan with the U.S. Coast Guard to close the channel for winter construction, according to Kendrick.

“The goal is no traffic because it would really speed up construction. But there may be an allowance for small vessels,” he said.

Despite the bridge’s age and poor condition, the DOT determined renovating the bridge was more economical than building a new one. The bridge’s approach span was refurbished in 1982 so engineers concluded the bridge only needed renovations.

The 34-year approach span will need maintenance future maintenance, according to Kendrick.

Project Manager Leanne Timberlake explained the DOT understood the public’s desire for a manually operated bridge. The informational session’s main purpose was explaining why the power swing span was the bridge’s best long-term future, said Timberlake.