With a long-standing history of successful bridge projects across northern New England, Hoyle Tanner brings deep expertise in the planning, design, and construction oversight of resilient transportation infrastructure. The US Route 1 over Cousins River project in Maine is a prime example of our ability to deliver complex, multi-faceted designs that respond to today’s environmental and transportation challenges.
Construction is well underway on the MaineDOT-led replacement of the US Route 1 bridge over the Cousins River, located at the border of Yarmouth and Freeport. Originally constructed in 1930, the aging structure—comprised of a concrete superstructure and stone abutments—has reached the end of its service life and is being replaced with a modern, resilient crossing designed to meet future transportation and environmental needs.
Hoyle Tanner was responsible for the preliminary, final design and construction phase-services of the new 115-foot span precast concrete bulb-tee bridge being constructed on a raised alignment to account for anticipated sea level rise. To mitigate the poor existing subsurface conditions, ultra-lightweight foamed glass aggregate is being used on the approach embankments to reduce settlement and provide long-term stability. This innovative approach supports the raised grade without placing excessive loads on the soft underlying clays.
To maintain traffic throughout construction, we developed a staged approach to build the new bridge in two phases, with one lane constructed adjacent to the existing structure. Once Stage 1 is complete, traffic will shift to the new bridge while the original 1930s structure is removed and the remainder of the new span is completed.
A key enhancement of this project is the addition of a 10-foot-wide, multi-use path. This pathway supports the Town of Yarmouth’s Complete Streets initiative and will provide an important connection between segments of the Beth Condon Memorial Pathway, ultimately creating a safer, more accessible corridor for pedestrians and cyclists along Route 1.
In addition to the bridge replacement, the construction-phase includes bearing replacements on the nearby I-295 northbound overpass—further enhancing infrastructure reliability in this busy corridor and taking advantage of bundled contracts for efficient mobilization efforts. Construction is being led by CPM Constructors of Freeport, with final completion scheduled for 2026.
We’re proud to support this transformative project that blends modern engineering, community-focused design, and environmental foresight. If your community needs to replace or service important infrastructure, reach out to me!
