Deer Isle bridge test to cause delays Monday

DEER ISLE – Motorists using the Deer Isle-Sedgwick bridge on Monday, Aug. 4, should allow additional travel time, according to the Maine Department of Transportation.

The department plans to conduct load testing on the bridge, which will result in periodic delays of up to 10 minutes throughout the day.

The load testing is designed to help DOT to plan for a future improvement project on the bridge.

The department plans to measure the effects of a loaded truck on various portions of the bridge. In order to do that, officials said last week, they will need to clear the bridge of other traffic so that only the test truck is affecting the bridge structure.

The plan for the day is to stop traffic for up to 10 minutes at a time while crews take measurements. The crews will then open the bridge to clear the backed-up traffic and then close the bridge for another 10-minute test period. The process will be repeated throughout the day.

The testing requires good weather, so the department has scheduled Tuesday, Aug. 5, as a rain date.