THOMASTON — Since 1818 a bridge has spanned the St. George River in Thomaston connecting the mainland to the St. George Peninsula. Upgraded in 1892 and again in 1927 it continued to serve until the present replacement was begun in 2014. Wednesday, October 5, saw dignitaries from the towns of Thomaston and Cushing, members of Maine's Department of Transportation and members of Maine's House of Representatives and State Senate gather with local town residents to dedicate and officially open the Wadsworth Street Bridge.

Maine DOT commissioner David Bernhardt welcomed all to the ceremony and acted as master of ceremonies introducing Greg Hamlin, Select Board Chairman of Thomaston; Alton Grover, Select Board Chairman of Cushing; Margaret McCrea of the Thomaston Historical Society; State Senator Dave Miramant and State Representative Chuck Kruger.

After short greetings and speeches the Reverend Peter Jenks and the Reverend Vanessa Winters blessed the new bridge with prayer.

A ribbon cutting followed and shots discharged across the river by David Martucci and William Wasson in period dress. A short car parade was provided by Owls Head Transportation Museum.

The new Wadsworth Bridge is a 280-foot-long, four-span structure. The aging truss was restricted to one truck at a time due to structural limitations.

The new bridge is 33 feet wide, and includes 11-foot lanes, three-foot shoulders and a five-foot walkway. The new bridge also eliminates all vertical height restrictions, provides more under clearance for boats and is designed to carry all legal traffic.

Cost of the new bridge was $4.3 million and was built by Prock Marine of Rockland. New construction also included reconstruction of 1,100 feet of Wadsworth St. Water St. and Sunrise Terrace to shift the alignment of the new structure.

State Senator Dave Miramant said the bridge was significant in that we are finally beginning to see funds to rebuild the state's infrastructure.

"It brings money into the local economy and local contractors getting a share of it, "he said. "It's nice to see these projects happening after so many years of saying our infrastructure is crumbling, the Governor rejecting money that could be fixing it and we are finally getting to it."

Maine DOT Commissioner David Bernhardt said it is the two communities of Thomaston and Cushing who deserve the thanks for the project because they had to deal with the day to day construction process.

"I know Thomaston is getting the double whammy right now with the Route 1 construction," he said, "but a year from now this whole area is going to be beautiful."

Numerous people commented on view from the new bridge. Deconstruction of the old bridge might begin as early as Friday, October 7.