For a small bridge, the Pratts Island Bridge is garnering a lot of attention on Southport.

The bridge, which connects Southport Island to Pratts Island, is scheduled to undergo a revamping and redo in the fall, but first residents will have the chance to voice their opinions and concerns.

There will be a meeting at 6 p.m. August 8 at the Southport Town Hall to discuss the bridge.

On Wednesday, July 24, Southport selectmen met with Paul Coulombe, who will be paying for the bridge, and Skip Rideout, who will be overseeing the construction of it.

The meeting centered on the contract for the work, and the dates in question for closing the bridge.

“I think we need to talk about access, the starting date, the completion date,” Coulombe said. “We need to have starting and finishing dates, guidelines and a signed and agreed contract to abide by.”

The town had earmarked $200,000 for the bridge in earlier town meetings, but because Coulombe offered to pay for a more aesthetically-pleasing bridge, the money was used to lower the tax rate on the island.

The bridge will remain a wooden structure, but there will be some changes.

Granite blocks will be installed, the bridge will be approximately two feet wider to the north and there will be a walkway on the south side of bridge. The railing plans have yet to be finalized.

In August, concrete work on the bridge will begin, but it shouldn't close the bridge, Rideout said.

Construction is scheduled to begin in earnest on October 17, the day the water is turned off on Pratts Island, when the bridge will be closed. Foot traffic will be allowed on the bridge until it reopens in November.

“My plan is to have the work done before Thanksgiving,” Rideout said.

An idea was discussed to start work earlier on the bridge, which could theoretically shorten the time it is closed to vehicles.

Coulombe said he was strongly opposed to closing the bridge for short spurts in September to allow Rideout to get a leg-up on the work.

Coulombe said closing the bridge while most of Pratts Island's seasonal population was still there wasn't worth the extra bit of work being completed.

There are other factors that weigh into closing the bridge, such as fire protection, which falls onto the town, selectboard chair Gerry Gamage said.

The contract situation between the town, Coulombe, Knickerbocker and Rideout was in question.

“I still think there needs to be some management – I'm paying the bills, and I think I'm entitled to extra security,” Coulombe said.

Ben Bulkeley can be reached at 207-633-4620 or bbulkeley@boothbayregister.com. Follow him on Twitter: @BBRegisterBen.