Folks who regularly travel from Bangor to Brewer will see a significant change to their traffic pattern come next spring, as the Maine Department of Transportation gears up for some major repair work to 2 of the busiest bridges that run between the twin cities.

Officials outlined both plans in the 'Active Public Meetings' section of the Maine DOT website.

The first project involves making some improvements to the 70-year-old Joshua Chamberlain Bridge, a steel girder bridge, beginning in May of 2026.

"The scope of work for this project consists of replacing the bridge wearing surface, along with several bridge joint replacements, and concrete barriers. This work includes repairs to pier 1, pier 4, pier 11, and both abutments."

"Westbound only (Brewer to Bangor) vehicular traffic will be allowed on the bridge. Ramp B from Summer Street leading onto the bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic."

The DOT says that there will be one sidewalk open to pedestrians during the bridge work.

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This will also impact access to some parts of the waterfront, officials say.

Right now, they hope to complete the surface work between May of 2026 and October, with a total completion date of 2028.

The Maine DOT also has plans in the works to rehab the entire Penobscot Bridge, which would significantly impede travel across it.

"The scope of work for this project consists of replacing the bridge's wearing surface and membrane, along with repairing bridge rail, addressing spalling, replacing finger joints, and applying a protective coating to the sidewalk and concrete barrier. Repairs will occur on both pier one in Bangor and both abutments."

That project will reduce the normal 4 lanes of traffic that travel across that bridge every day to just 2, one going in each direction. It will also close down the sidewalks along that bridge, leaving pedestrians to use the sidewalks on the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge for that duration.

This work is scheduled to take place a year after work begins on the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge. MDOT's tentative timeline has the repairs to the second bridge taking place in May of 2027 and running through October of 2027 for the surface work. That overall effort is due to finish sometime in 2029.

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