Maine will receive a total of $44.6 million to fund two transportation projects sought by the Maine Department of Transportation and the Town of Lubec.  The projects,which will be funded through the federal BUILD program, will help replace a bridge in Woolwich and make major improvements to Lubec’s harbor to protect fishermen and boats.

The two Maine transportation projects that will receive funding are as follows:

1)      Station 46 Bridge. MaineDOT will receive $25 million toward a $30 million replacement project of Station 46 Bridge on U.S. Route 1 in Woolwich. The bridge, which was originally built in 1933, is a critical connection to Bath Iron Works.  It is also part of a vital travel corridor for Maine residents and tourists heading to points north along the coast.  If the bridge had to be closed, it would require a detour of approximately 32 miles one-way.

2)      Town of Lubec “Safe Harbor.”  The Town of Lubec will receive $19.6 million to build a safe harbor to protect a mooring field that would include a boat launch, harbor, and wharf.  The project would allow 30 boats to tie up and would protect boats and fishermen in inclement weather. The project would also include a two-way road to the end of the pier, with two hoists for fishermen to get their product to market safely and quickly.

This year, the 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 that were funded.