Overlooked bridge site

Regarding the new interest in the alternative bridge locations across the St. Croix River in Washington County, I could not resist, as a former timber and woods road surveyor, walking from the Airline Motel on the corner of Routes 1 and 9 to the St. Croix River. Following the true north bearing it took 20 minutes but could be done in 10 without the prevailing fir thickets and fallen trees. The ground was level with a few boulders and no sign of wetlands. The riverbank itself was solid with mature hardwood growth.

The walked location did not align perfectly with Route 9, which would require engineering a slight curve. There is plenty of room for the customs facilities and parking, and the cost of the construction should be normal, and if so desired, no buildings need to be purchased and destroyed. The width of the river is nearly equal in both locations.

The most surprising thing of all is that the Maine Department of Transportation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with their vast human resources missed it all. As an employee in private industry I would have been fired for it and more so after suggesting Alternate 2A with its well-documented problems with wetlands as a viable contestant with Calais’ location. This oversight also prevented these favorable features from surfacing in the public hearings and distorted the final decision based on 6 acres of wetlands in Calais location against 11 acres in 2A.

But you do not need to be a surveyor to look over all this. Only a pair of legs, strong boots and a cheap compass are needed as long as you do not overlook the declination of 20 degrees between true and magnetic north.

L. Oscar Selin

Baileyville