PITTSFIELD -- If Mother Nature cooperates, a new Neal Bridge will be ready for traffic.

Construction of the bridge on Route 100 has taken longer than expected, but project officials now say it is largely complete and pavement is now scheduled to go on top of the bridge today. That means the road could be opened back up to motorists on Saturday, said Nate Benoit, spokesman for the Maine Department of Transportation.

"It should be opening Saturday," Benoit said this week. "But there are still some things we need to do" after the bridge reopens.

Mark Latti, another spokesman for the DOT, said the reopening is weather-dependent. "If weather delays things it would still open in the immediate future," Latti said.

The $594,000 bridge project is wrapping up a month later than state officials had initially predicted. Stetson & Watson of Pittsfield started the project in mid-September and planned to finish by late October. But heavy rains and a delay in getting a needed part for the bridge pushed construction back.

That created longer headaches for local drivers. The road is a key connector between Pittsfield and Burnham, and its closure has forced drivers to take longer detours.

The road closure has been a big inconvenience to local farmers and companies that have trucks passing through that way.

"I think the citizens and the businesses of Pittsfield will be very happy with it being done," said Town Manager Kathryn Ruth. "I'm pleased that people won't have to drive around and not incur any additional cost and time."

During construction, motorists have been given a detour from Burnham to Pittsfield: Troy Road from Burnham Junction to Route 220, which rejoins Route 100 in Detroit.

The state-owned bridge is located about a third of a mile north of the intersection of Barney Cianchette Road and Route 100; it was built in 1917 and widened in 1937.

Scott Monroe -- 487-3288, 861-9253

smonroe@centralmaine.com