ORLAND – A group of area residents on Tuesday chose “granite” as the theme for the new bridge that will replace the Waldo-Hancock Bridge across the Penobscot River.

The nearly three dozen residents were part of a “design charrette” or workshop developed by the Figg Engineering Group of Tallahassee, Fla., as part of the design process for the new bridge. The decisions by the group will help to guide the design team in creating the aesthetic elements of the bridge.

“It gives us our inspiration as we design the bridge,” said company principal Linda Figg.

The aesthetic theme can be reflected in many different ways in each of the design elements of the bridge, Figg said. The pylons (or towers), for example, can be designed in different ways to reflect the theme. Although some granite may be used in the bridge, it is more a concept than a building material for the designers.

The theme of granite grew out of discussions of four potential themes presented by Figg that reflected the history, seafaring life, and artistry of the area, as well as its role as a gateway to Down East Maine. Group members modified and eliminated some of those choices, adding their own alternatives, including a “no theme” option, which received the second-highest rating, followed by the “gateway” theme.

Figg indicated that the design team would work with the main theme of granite with a bridge that is a gateway with the form following the function.

Although “natural beauty” received the lowest rating in the voting, much of the group indicated that the natural surroundings of the bridge setting were an important feature and that the bridge should fit into that setting.

“We don’t want a lot of ‘frou-frous’ in the bridge,” said one participant.

“If the bridge can’t stand on its own, all the embellishments are not going to make a difference,” said another.

The words “simple” and “elegant” were repeated several times during the evening’s discussion, and another participant noted that many examples presented came out of very urban surroundings. He asked for a “more classical” design that would fit in better with the natural, rural surroundings.

The idea of a no theme option reflected the idea of “form following function,” said Earle Shettleworth, the director of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.

“We have a function, and the form will grow out of that need,” he said.

The idea of granite was appealing, he said, since it offered the opportunity to merge the natural world and the humanmade.

Tensions rose only once during the night after Figg explained that the model designers were working with included the plane of cables running from a tower to the center of the bridge. That element was included in the Maine Department of Transportation’s design parameters, she said.

The local project advisory committee had recommended a double plane bridge and some members were angered to learn that the DOT had made the decision on that design element without informing them.

“We’re hearing this where we sit without the courtesy of forewarning,” said David Milan, who chaired the PAC. “I’ll get over it as far as the decision is concerned, but I’m extremely upset at the mechanism by which we’re learning of it.”

Deputy Transportation Commissioner Bruce Van Note said the department has indicated its preference for the single plane design, but stressed that it was not set in stone. Van Note said that some of the design options that will be presented during the workshop include a combination of the DOT’s desire for the cables running to the middle of the bridge with the PAC’s desires for a double plane of cables.

“We’re trying to find some middle ground here,” he said.

The workshop will continue today seeking the group’s opinions on other design elements including everything from tower styles, railing designs and lighting options.

Figg’s design engineers will bring back several options based on the theme choice and other group decisions at a second workshop which has not yet been scheduled.