I-95 Piscataqua River Bridge Wearing Surface Replacement

Project Overview:

The Piscataqua River Bridge is a six-lane highway connecting Maine to New Hampshire. The project limits extend from 1,600 feet south of the New Hampshire abutment of the I-95 Piscataqua River Bridge to just north of the ME 236 bridge over I-95, for a total project length of approximately 2.25 miles.  Project scope included deck repair, fascia and median overhang and rail replacement with cast in place concrete barrier,  compression seal joint replacement (including surrounding deck), finger joint trough replacement, bridge drainage system replacement, concrete haunch removal installation of FRP conduit for future ITS, miscellaneous steel repairs, electrical system replacement, reconstruction of approximately one mile of shoulders in Maine to accommodate roadway widenings for part time shoulder use, bridge wearing surface replacement, and mill/fill and overlay of existing pavement approaches.

Key Challenges Overcome:

Traffic – Approximately 78,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day with peak daily traffic counts of 130,000 during the summer months.  To maximize worker safety and minimize traffic disturbance movable temporary concrete barriers were used for the first time in Maine or New Hampshire.  

Incentives / Awards

2023 National Recognition Award in the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA)

Interesting Facts / Figures

• The Piscataqua River Bridge is approximately 4,500 feet long and varies in width from 100 – 140 feet wide.
• The project limits extend from 1,600 feet south of the New Hampshire abutment of the I-95 Piscataqua River Bridge to just north of the ME 236 bridge over I-95, for a total project length of approximately 2.25 miles.
• In addition to the 756-foot-long main truss arch span and 294-foot-long back spans, there are 33 steel girder approach spans. 
• The bottom chord of the truss is 135 feet above the Piscataqua River.