Weather may delay
bridge 'suicide fence'

By GARY REMAL
Staff Writer

Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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AUGUSTA -- Weather may halt work on controversial suicide-prevention fencing before its installation on Memorial Bridge can be completed, leaving any remaining sections until spring.

Debate over whether to replace the chain-link fence and its design have pushed the job so late that snow and cold temperatures may prevent the entire job from being finished without extraordinary efforts and costs, said Wayne Frankhauser Jr., the Maine Department of Transportation's bridge manager who has overseen the emotional decision to replace the fence.

"We just ran short of time," Frankhauser said. "The whole fence negotiations were very extended. We changed directions several times. And we looked at several options and had several designs fabricated for people to look at."

That's likely to mean both sides of the bridge will not see full installation of the black-coated chain-link fence before spring, unless Maine has an extraordinarily mild winter.

Under a newly negotiated contract extension with CPM Constructors of Freeport, state engineers have the authority to suspend work if snow or cold makes it too difficult, Frankhauser said.

"That will save them a lot of heartaches and us a lot of money not to make them work in the extremes" of winter weather, he said.

State transportation officials gave final approval Monday for the fence work to proceed, Frankhauser said.