Between Kittery, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire

The new Sarah Mildred Long Bridge carries the US Route 1 Bypass and a heavy rail line that serves the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard over the Piscataqua River. Coined “three bridges in one,” the crossing consists of vehicular approach bridges stacked over railroad approach bridges leading to a vertical lift span over the navigation channel. The moveable span lifts from the normal roadway position to allow passage of tall vessels underneath and lowers to railroad track level, allowing trains to pass on the rail in the roadway median of the lift span. With a 56-foot vertical clearance in the “resting” position at the vehicular level, there are 68% fewer bridge openings compared to the previous bridge. …