| Penobscot Narrows Bridge | |
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The Penobscot Narrows Bridge with the Waldo–Hancock Bridge in the background |
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| Official name | Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory |
| Carries | US 1 and ME 3 |
| Crosses | Penobscot River |
| Locale | Prospect – Verona Island, Maine |
| Maintained by | Maine Department of Transportation |
| Design | Cable-stayed bridge |
| Total length | 2,120 feet (646 m) |
| Height | 447 feet (136 m) |
| Longest span | 1,161 feet (354 m) |
| Clearance below | 135 feet (41 m) |
| Opened | December 30, 2006 |
The Penobscot Narrows Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge over the Penobscot River near Bucksport, Maine. It replaced the Waldo–Hancock Bridge, built in 1931. The new bridge is 2,120 feet (646 m) long. It is one of three bridges in the U.S. (the others being Zakim Bridge in Boston, MA, and Veterans' Glass City Skyway in Toledo, OH) constructed recently to utilize a cradle system that carries the strands within the stays from bridge deck to bridge deck, as a continuous element, eliminating anchorages in the pylons.[1] Each epoxy-coated steel strand is carried inside the cradle in a one-inch steel tube. Each strand acts independently, allowing for removal, inspection and replacement of individual strands. The cable-stay system was designed with a system that uses pressurized nitrogen gas to defend against corrosion. Additionally, in June 2007, six reference strands within three stays were replaced with carbon fiber strands - a first in the U.S. Monitoring on the strands will evaluate this material for future use in bridge designs. These engineering innovations helped the bridge appear in the December 2006 edition of Popular Science as one of the 100 best innovations of the year.[2] The total project cost was $85 million. The bridge was designed as an emergency replacement for the Waldo-Hancock Bridge and from conception to completion, just 42 months elapsed. A unique project delivery method, referred to as 'owner facilitated design/build' partnered Maine DOT with FIGG as the designer and Cianbro/Reed & Reed LLC as the contractor. The elevator system in the tower was installed by Stanley Elevator Company Inc.
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The Penobscot Bridge site also is home to the Penobscot Narrows Observatory, the first bridge observation tower in the United States and the tallest public bridge observatory in the world. The tower reaches 420 feet (128 m) into the air and allows visitors to view the bridge, the nearby Fort Knox State Historic Site and the Penobscot River and Bay. The tower is accessible through the Fort Knox site and as of August 2009 charges a $7 fee for adult nonresidents and $5 for adult residents. The fee for children 5-11 is $3, and children 4 and under are admitted for free. These prices include admission to both the Observatory and the Fort Knox site.
The Penobscot Narrows Observatory opened to the general public on Saturday, May 19, 2007. It is open at the same times of the year as Fort Knox (May 1 to October 31).
Shortly after construction had begun The State of Maine seized a local restaurant, The Sail Inn, through eminent domain. The business was said to conflict with the entrance to the bridge on the Prospect side of the bay. The Maine DOT later resorted to blasting a rock face, and created a longer and sharper curve in the roadway for the approach to the bridge. Despite the change in engineering, the restaurant was razed, and the land remains the property of the State of Maine.