SACO – Time has taken its toll on the unique, stone-arched Stackpole Creek Bridge on Simpson Road in Saco. It’s already down to one lane of traffic and a 3-ton weight limit.

Now, due to recent movement, especially in the stones within the archway itself, the city’s engineers have recommended the bridge, which was built 164 years ago, be closed to all traffic during heavy rains and when creek levels reach depths of more than 5 feet.

However, closing the bridge during these times effectively makes Simpson Road a dead end on both sides, causing headaches for the residents of both Buxton and Saco who live along the rural road.

Saco residents who live in the neighborhood of the bridge are also urging the city to fully restore it, even though the Maine Department of Transportation is recommending it be dismantled and replaced with a new span that would be open to two-way traffic and heavier weight limits.

The problem the city faces in either restoring the bridge or replacing it is the cost, which several years ago was estimated to be between $483,000 and nearly $1.6 million.

Also complicating the question is that, due to the accelerated movement of the bridge and the delicacy of the arch, the Saco Public Works Department believes it will have to close the bridge to all traffic more frequently going forward.

That’s why the Saco City Council held a joint workshop on Tuesday with the Buxton Board of Selectmen and why Saco Mayor Mark Johnston has pledged to put together an ad hoc committee to make recommendations on the future of the bridge.

Also at the workshop, Saco Councilor Eric Cote pushed the idea of putting a bridge bond question on the municipal ballot in November, an idea that was also supported by state Rep. Linda Valentino, D-Saco, who is running for the District 4 Senate seat this fall.

It’s been 11 years since the Stackpole Creek Bridge was limited to one lane of traffic. But now, Mike Bolduc, Saco’s director of public works, said some of the stones in the arch “have moved enough (recently) to cause concern” about its stability, especially when the area receives a lot of rain.

The bridge was closed to all traffic for the first time last weekend, Bolduc said. The bridge was closed from Friday, March 2, through Monday afternoon, March 5, after the area received heavy snow on Thursday and then a lot of rain on Saturday.

Buxton selectmen said the closure of the bridge for nearly four days was a surprise to residents on the Buxton side, who received no notification.

That’s why selectmen wanted to meet with the Saco City Council, as soon as possible, to discuss how Buxton residents would know when the bridge is closed in the future.

When the two boards met at City Hall on Tuesday, Jean Harmon, a Buxton selectwoman, said from her community’s point of view, “the bridge has been one lane for too many years now,” and with it likely being closed to all traffic more often, there are also “public safety issues” that need to be addressed.

“What happens if there is an emergency and residents on either end are cut off?” she asked.

And it’s not just during emergencies that a bridge closure can cause problems. During the most recent closure, a Saco resident on the far side of the bridge said, locals didn’t get their mail for several days and it also took longer than normal for the road to be plowed.

Harmon said there are about 50 homes on the Buxton side of the bridge, along with about 15 in Saco, which would be affected every time the city decides to close it.

Cindy Fanning, a Buxton resident, said she would like to see the bridge be a priority for spending. “The longer we wait, the more it will cost to fix,” she said.

Like Harmon, she’s also concerned about longer response times for emergency responders when the bridge is closed, and questioned what would happen this summer when roadwork starts on Route 112 and the bridge is closed, as well.

“What are we supposed to do then?” she asked.

Saco City Councilor David Tripp acknowledged the issues raised, but said, “This is going to be an ongoing problem until this bridge issue is resolved. We’re now going to have to deal with it during every rain event.”

And, Bolduc said, “Until we do something with the bridge, it’s going to be a pain in the neck for both towns.”

Cliff Emery, another Buxton selectman, said despite town leaders being concerned about bridge closures, they’re also sympathetic to the dilemma Saco leaders find themselves facing.

“We all know that money’s tight and $1 million is nothing to sneeze at,” he said. “We’ll do everything we can to help things run smoothly on our side of the bridge. People in Buxton will just have to adjust and realize this bridge is in Saco.”

By the end of the workshop the two governing bodies had reached agreement on a process for notifying both Buxton and Saco residents of a bridge closure.

That process would include signs indicating the bridge is closed, along with email and voicemail notifications and word being sent from Saco public safety dispatchers to those in Buxton to let them know the status of the bridge.

Although Johnston told the Buxton selectmen that the Stackpole Creek Bridge would now be a priority for Saco, it’s been five years since neighbors first formed a group intent on saving it.

That group even brought in a professional stonemason, Andy deGruchy, who estimated in 2008 that the bridge could be restored for about $600,000. This was about the same amount the state’s transportation department said then that it would take to replace it with a metal span and concrete abutments – the state’s preferred option.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Peg Mills, a former Saco city councilor and a resident of Simpson Road, said, “I’m on one of those who values preserving that historic bridge. It’s appealing to visitors and those who live here.”

She then wondered what happened to a $670,000 appropriation the Saco City Council set aside for bridgework several years ago. City Administrator Rick Michaud told Mills that money was gone, being used for other purposes in the meantime.

Sue Littlefield, another neighbor who worked hard five years ago to convince city leaders to save the bridge, said she was disappointed to learn the money was gone.

“Several years ago the whole neighborhood got together to preserve the bridge,” Littlefield said. “We’ve gone through a lot of effort to have the bridge examined and it has lots of potential.”

In written material provided to the council, Littlefield also called the bridge, “a 19th century engineering landmark” with a “unique, 15-foot high vault arch” that’s eligible for placement on the National Historic Register.

Peter Brown and his wife Inga, who live closest to the bridge on the Saco side, both said it made more sense to restore it rather than replace it.

“This is one of only two stone bridges in Maine,” Inga Brown said. “Pennsylvania has 126 stone bridges that have been successfully restored. And it’s clear (from the deGruchy report) that this is very possible (here).”

Johnston expects to appoint members to the bridge committee when the City Council meets again on March 19 at 7 p.m.

The Stackpole Creek Bridge, on Simpson Road in Saco was built in 1848. It’s now down to one lane of traffic and a 3-ton weight limit. With recent movement, especially in the stones in the arch itself, the city is expecting it will have to close the span to all traffic on a regular basis. (Staff photo by Kate Irish Collins)