Bridge Lift Span Construction Underway

"Two down, one to go," is how one Archer Western Contractors crew member summed up the company's next task to construct the new Memorial Bridge lift span on the morning the north span was successfully floated in.

The Cape Cod barge, which transported the north span to the Kittery, Maine, side of the Piscataqua River last week, has now returned to the New Hampshire State Pier. According to Carol Morris, an Archer Western Contractors spokesperson, crews will start to assemble the lift span this week following Friday's snow storm.

Archer Western Contractors crews will also continue to work on the tower frames on the north span and south span to support the new lift span. Morris said crews are shooting for mid-June to float in the final piece for the new bridge.

"We expect to float the middle lift span up the river in June. Each span has taken about three months to construct and prep for, so that is consistent. Once we get it in place, we'll have to make sure all the moving parts work correctly, so there will be a significant amount of dry runs undertaken," Morris wrote in an e-mail.

Steve Delgrosso, the Archer Western Contractors project manager, also said they will have to put the new lift span through extensive testing before it will be floated in.

"The machinery and controls on this bridge are complex and need extensive testing before going into service. We want to do everything possible to discover any issues that may affect operation before the bridge is opened to the public," said DelGrosso in a prepared statement.

Archer Western Contractors have set a target date of July 6 to complete the new Memorial Bridge.