Sarah Mildred Long Bridge Lift Span Raised for Maritime Traffic

UPDATED, 8:15 p.m.: Maritime traffic is once again moving up and down the Piscataqua River after New Hampshire Department of Transportation crews successfully raised the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge lift span on Saturday night.

In an e-mail, Bill Boynton, the NH DOT public affairs officer, wrote the lift span was raised shortly after 6:30 p.m., which allowed a ship to pass through the bridge a short time later.

Boynton noted the lift span would remain raised until 2 p.m. on Sunday to accommodate more maritime traffic. Boynton added the lift span would then be lowered on Sunday afternoon for extensive testing.

Boynton wrote NH DOT bridge maintenance crews hope to have the bridge fully operational for motor vehicle traffic on Monday.

Earlier story: NH Department of Transportation crews are hoping to raise the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge lift span Saturday afternoon so that marine traffic can head up and down the Piscataqua River.

Bill Boynton, a NH DOT spokesman, wrote in an e-mail that bridge maintenance crews have made good progress. "As of noon today, an estimated three hours of structural steel work remained on support beams connected to the lift span of the Portsmouth-Kittery bridge," Boynton wrote.

The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge has been closed to marine traffic and motor vehicle traffic since Wednesday afternoon when the middle lift span became stuck one foot above the road. On Saturday, Boynton wrote that bridge maintenance crews hope to take an important step toward making the bridge operational again for marine traffic.

"The goal is to try to do a bridge lift by late this afternoon in order to allow for the passage of any waiting ship traffic on the Piscataqua River.  There are no guarantees since the bridge has not been lifted since the Wednesday incident.  If the bridge lift is accomplished today, the span will most likely be left in the “Up” position until Monday," Boynton wrote.

Boynton also wrote in his e-mail that bridge maintenance crews have to do extensive testing of the lift span before the bridge can be completely opened and restored to marine and motor vehicle traffic. Boynton said motor vehicle traffic across the bridge is not expected to resume until Monday at the earliest.