The Seacoast.co

by Roger Wood

Listen:  5:30

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After several days of delays, removal of the historic Memorial Bridge between Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine is finally underway.  The center span of the lift bridge on the Piscataqua River was lowered onto a barge.

Crowd in Portsmouth, NH watching Memorial bridge span removal - Photo by Roger Wood

From there, it will be floated down river to the Ocean.  Ultimately, the span will be sent to a recycling facility in Boston to be scrapped.  The rest of the bridge will also be taken out by barge, and a new $81 million dollar bridge built to replace it.   The original bridge was completed in 1923 to honor the soldiers and sailors of World War I.

Victor Mendez, Director, Federal Highway Safety Agency - Photo by Roger Wood

The projected date for completion of the project is July of 2013.

Video clip of Memorial Bridge lowered for the last time.

by Roger Wood – From NH Department of Transportation

The Memorial Bridge lift span will be floated out on Wednesday, February 8, 2012, between the hours of 8:00 am and 1:00 pm.  Barges will likely be repositioned in the river channel this evening between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm in preparation for the float-out on Wednesday.

Watching for Memorial Bridge span Removal - Courtesy of NH DOT

All work will be performed within the 72-hour time period approved by the U.S. Coast Guard – from 7:00 am on February 6 until 7:00 am on February 9.

The public is welcome to observe the lift span removal and float-out operations from safe nearby locations.  While the work zone itself is not open to the public, good views can be obtained from Prescott Park, Four Tree Island, and Peirce Island.

Archer Western Contractors, of Canton, Massachusetts is the general contractor for the $81.4 million project, which has a completion date of July 2013 to open the new bridge to vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

by Roger Wood – From a NH Dept. of Transportation News Release

The likely time frame during which the Memorial Bridge lift span will be floated out has been expanded to as late as the night of Wednesday, February 8, 2012. 

Vehicles lined up for Memorial Bridge removal - Photo by Roger Wood

The barge “Cape Cod” will be put into place during daylight hours on Tuesday, February 7, between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.  The actual float-out will likely occur sometime within 16 hours following this time period.  This is within the 72-hour time period approved by the U.S. Coast Guard – from 7:00 am on February 6 to 7:00 am on February 9.

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) will again issue an advisory as soon as feasible prior to the float-out.  

Work is continuing on schedule in preparation of this first major event associated with the demolition of the Memorial Bridge that crosses the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine.  This event requires the use of two 250-ton cranes on barges, four tugboats, and the Cape Cod that carries four towers equipped with 300-ton hydraulic jacks. The process begins with positioning the crane barges adjacent to the navigation channel and the Cape Cod under the lift span.

The Cape Cod will be moved into position first.  The wire ropes connecting the lift span to the counterweights will then be cut, freeing the two-million pound lift span. The barge will then be moved by the tugs out of the main navigational channel and over to an area near Prescott Park or the Port Authority Pier, depending on the time of removal, to be secured for shipment.

The public is welcome to observe the lift span removal and float-out operations from safe nearby locations.  While the work zone itself is not open to the public, good views can be obtained from Prescott Park, Four Tree Island, and Peirce Island.

by Roger Wood – From a News Release issued by the NH Department of Transportation.

The first major event associated with the demolition of the Memorial Bridge that crosses the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine is now scheduled to take place during daytime hours on Tuesday, February 7, 2012.

Barge, cranes and tug in place for bridge removal - Photo by Roger Wood

Weather and barge setup permitting, the removal and “float out” of the lift span of the nearly 90-year old lift bridge is expected to take place between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM on February 7.   The operation will involve the use of a barge upon which the estimated two million pound truss lift span will rest after it is disconnected from cables that support it.  The barge will then be floated out of the channel, secured near the New Hampshire shoreline, and then floated down the Piscataqua River at a later time.

The public is welcome to observe the lift span removal and “float out” operations from safe nearby locations.  While the work zone itself is not open to the public, good views can be obtained from Prescott Park, Badger Island, Four Tree Island, and Peirce Island. 

Archer Western Contractors, of Canton, Massachusetts is the general contractor for the $81.4 million project, which has a completion date of July 2013 to open the new bridge to vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

For updates on the Memorial Bridge project, visit www.memorialbridgeproject.com or call 1-855-DOT-RIDE.

by Roger Wood

Listen:  6:20

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Conservative politicians think they’re unconstitutional, so, at least in one state, New Hampshire, some lawmakers think that sobriety checkpoints should be outlawed.  One State Representative, Republican Seth Cohn of Canterbury, says that they are rarely used for their intended purpose; to keep drunk drivers off the highways He’s the sponsor of a House bill that would deep-six the checkpoints, which cost the state around $93 thousand dollars a year.  Some other conservatives agree, but not the state’s Highway Safety Agency Coordinator, Peter Thomson.  He pointed out at a recent hearing on the bill that the state’s death toll fell to the lowest level in 51 years last year.  He called them an important tool in the battle against drunk and impaired driving.  Another advocate of the checkpoints is Portsmouth Police Chief David “Lou” Ferland.

Portsmouth NH Police Chief David Ferland - From City web site

I spoke to him about the bill, and his strong belief in the use of sobriety checkpoints.  Listen by clicking on the arrow above or the download link below.  It is important to note that police departments must still get prior approval from Superior Court judges to set them up.

by Roger Wood

Listen:  6:15

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It’s used in many states, including Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.  Even the “Show me” state of Missouri has deployed the devices, but now New Hampshire is trying out the latest tool in its snowplowing arsenal for winter maintenance operations.

Tow plow test run - Photo courtesy of NH Department of Transportation

Soon, when the snow really begins to fly, motorists will notice the new “Tow Plow.”  It’s a trailer mounted 26 foot plow towed behind a 10-sheeled plow truck.  I spoke with Bill Boynton of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, who told me that it can extend the width of plowing, using movable axles on the trailer unit, as well as hydraulic controls between the truck and trailer.

Tow plow mounted on D.O.T. Truck - Photo courtesy of NH D.O.T.

There are about 200 of them in use nationwide, and you can hear more about the new innovation by clicking on the listen arrow above or the download link below.

by Roger Wood

Listen:  7:50

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It’s rare that a family waits nearly a century for an honor to be bestowed on a relative who lost his life during a war.  But just such an event recently occurred, when the   Commander of the First Coast Guard District Rear Admiral Daniel Neptun presented the Purple Heart medal to Douglas Wyman, the grand-nephew of Wesley “Fred” Wyman, who was killed in action in World War I.

Douglas Wyman with purple heart medal - Photo by Roger Wood

Fred Wyman, who was born and raised in Goffstown, New Hampshire,  served in the Coast Guard and was a crewmember aboard the USS Tampa.  He was killed in action on September 26, 1918, when the Tampa was attacked and sank off the coast of England.   His grand-nephew, Douglas Wyman of Concord, contacted New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte for assistance in having the medal issued posthumously.  I attended the ceremony at the U.S. Coast Guard Station in New Castle, New Hampshire , and you can listen to highlights, plus an interview with Douglas Wyman.

The following is a video excerpt of the Purple Heart Ceremony.

by Roger Wood

Listen:  7:00

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Get your cameras and camcorders ready!  The historic Memorial Bridge between Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery Maine will undergo the first phase of its demolition.  And, it’s guaranteed to be a spectacular one, as the lift span between the two old towers is disconnected and placed on a barge, to be floated away to a recycling center.

Poster of new Memorial Bridge - Photo by Roger Wood

I spoke to Keith Cota, project manager for the bridge’s reconstruction, about the inauguration of shuttle service around the bridge, and the different phases of demolition.  You can listen by clicking on the arrow above or download link below.

by Roger Wood

Listen:  4:00

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The 87 year old Memorial bridge between Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine is now closed to bicyclists and pedestrians.

Memorial Bridge, Portsmouth, NH - Photo by Roger Wood

The deteriorating bridge had already been closed to traffic. Now, with the beginning of demolition at hand, the New Hampshire and Maine Departments of Transportation have banned all use of the bridge.  There is a web site for continuing information on the bridge reconstruction.  It is www.memorialbridgeproject.com.  You can hear my latest report on the bridge by clicking on the play arrow above or the download link below.

by Roger Wood

Listen:  12:45

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In this third part of a three-part interview with Jim Splaine, we talk about his personal family tragedy, his championing of gay rights, and how that may have influenced his decision to not seek higher office.

In the following video clip, Jim Splaine testifies in favor of equal rights legislation.