Key NH-Maine span to be closed 4-6 weeks
PUBLISHED: April 2, 2013 at 12:00 a.m. | UPDATED: July 12, 2019 at 12:00 a.m.
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (AP) — Transportation officials said Tuesday a bridge between New Hampshire and Maine that was hit by an oil tanker will stay closed to motor vehicle traffic for two to four weeks.
New Hampshire Transportation Commissioner Chris Clement said four vertical trusses need to be fixed on the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge. He visited the bridge Tuesday morning, along with Gov. Maggie Hassan.
The bridge's center lift span is still functioning, allowing for boat traffic along the Piscataqua River.
The 73-year-old bridge is due for replacement in the next several years. It carries more than 15,000 vehicles per day.
The oil tanker somehow broke loose from a pier on Monday and struck the bridge connecting Portsmouth, N.H., to Kittery, Maine. No one was injured, and Coast Guard officials said Tuesday they saw no signs its cargo or fuel oil and diesel leaked into the river.
The tanker was transporting tallow oil, an animal product that carries less of an environmental risk than a petroleum product in the event of a spill. Coast Guard Lt. Nick Barrow said the tanker will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
The ship was registered in Madeira, Portugal, is owned by the Zacchello Group from Italy and is managed by Nordic Tankers of Denmark.
Clement said the department will put out requests for proposals on an emergency contract for the repair work. He told the Portsmouth Herald the ship's owners will pay for the work because the cause of the accident rested with the ship or its crew.
Divers will continue their inspection of the ship's hull on Wednesday. A puncture was discovered on the hull about 15 feet below its water line. The affected area includes a ballast tank that is typically filled with water to stabilize the ship. River water is entering the tanker but is being pumped out, and the hole does not pose a threat to the ship or the river, authorities said.
The bridge is one of three connecting Portsmouth to Kittery. The Memorial Bridge downriver closed to vehicle traffic in 2011 to allow for construction of a new bridge. The high-level Interstate 95 bridge remains open to traffic as usual.
In January, the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge was shut down for several days after its center span got stuck during a routine test.