Despite cost overruns and a contractor switch in the middle of construction, Ledyard Bridge is now on track to be finished by Aug. 1, 1999, its revised target completion date.
The main structural parts of the bridge, the two main lanes and the turning lane for Tuck drive have been completed, in addition to the bicycle shoulders.
The bridge will not be wide enough for 4 lanes. The bridge was originally designed to be 68 feet wide, but that was hotly debated on both sides of the River.
Residents in both Vermont and New Hampshire worried that a wider bridge would bring in more traffic to the area, as well as negatively impact the local environment.
A political battle ensued, and Vermont Governor Howard Dean threatened to withdraw Vermont's support for the project, which forced a compromise.
The decision to replace the bridge was made when the bridge was put on the New Hampshire "Red List" of the most structurally-deficient roadways in the state.
What remains to be completed are the ornamental parts of the bridge, walkways, handrails, concrete balls and patios, Bob Ayers, project manager for Moores Marine construction company, said.
The project was scheduled to be completed in October of 1998, but the original contractor, Midway Construction, stopped halfway through the project, unable to complete it due to financial problems.
The bridge is expected to be completed on time, and no real delays are foreseeable, New Hampshire Department of Transportation Project Manager Jim Smith said. "It may be done earlier than that, but they fully expect it to be done by completion date."
"The only delay was when Midway defaulted," Smith said.
When the state and town looked for a new contractor, they granted and extension to Moores until August, to give them the time to make the transition, Smith said.
That delay, and other "unforeseen" expenses, has caused the project to run several hundred thousand dollars over budget, despite some cost cutting, Ayers said. Items like the decorative balls of concrete, which were supposed to be granite, have been downgraded due to cost consciousness.
The original goal for the project was $10 million, but the lowest bid was $11.2 million.
