Woolwich, Lubec will benefit from $44.6M in transportation funds

Photo / Laurie Schreiber The town of Lubec will receive $19.6 million in federal funds to protect a mooring field and to provide a boat launch and wharf.

Write a Comment

By Staff

Travelers in Woolwich and a fishermen in Lubec are some of those who may benefit from a total of $44.6 million in recently awarded federal transportation funds.

The Maine Department of Transportation will receive $25 million toward a $30 million replacement of the Station 46 Bridge on U.S. Route 1 in Woolwich, according to a news release Wednesday from the office of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

The bridge, built in 1933, is in poor condition, she said. But it provides a critical connection to Bath Iron Works and is part of a vital travel corridor for residents and tourists heading north along the coast. If the bridge had to be closed, they would need to make a detour of 32 miles.

The town of Lubec will receive $19.6 million to build a "safe harbor" to protect a mooring field and to include a boat launch and wharf. The project is expected to allow 30 boats to tie up and protect boats and fishermen during inclement weather. The project will also include a road to the end of the pier, with two hoists for fishermen to get their product to market safely and quickly.

Collins is chairman of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee.

The funding will come through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s highly competitive BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) program.

This year, the U.S. Department of Transportation received 666 eligible BUILD applications requesting more than $9.6 billion in funding. Maine’s projects were two of only 55 applications funded.

U.S. DOT Secretary Elaine Chao called Collins yesterday to notify her that the projects, for which Collins advocated, were approved.

“This support from our federal partners continues to be a big part of how we fund our annual work plan,” MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note said in the release. “Replacing the Station 46 Bridge, which carries Route One in Woolwich, will preserve this vital commuter, tourism and economic corridor in Midcoast Maine.”