NAPLES – A national transportation trade group has awarded the Maine Department of Transportation with a regional prize for its work on the Naples Bay Bridge and Causeway renovation project.

The Washington, D.C.-based American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials judged that the $9.7 million Naples construction effort was the best small project in the Northeast that cost less than $25 million in the competition’s Quality of Life and Community Development category. The award was presented at the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials 2014 conference in Portsmouth, N.H.

Six association judges reviewed the department’s application for the prize and determined that it was worthy of the award, according to the group’s communications specialist, Maggie Kasperski. Kasperski said the judges were impressed by the department’s efforts to address community concerns about the project. The association also lauded the department’s efforts to reduce traffic, cut state costs, and build pedestrian-friendly public space.

The association will award the remaining regional prizes throughout the summer. If the Naples project is scored as one of the top 10 projects in the nation, the department will compete for the National Grand Prize, which is chosen by judges, and the People’s Choice Award, which is chosen by online votes from the public. The association picked seven winners in the Northeast competition, and has not released the Naples project’s score. The national awards will be announced on Sept. 4. The winner will receive $10,000 toward a transportation-related charity or scholarship of its choice.

It took roughly three years, but the department ultimately replaced the bridge, built in 1954, with a fixed bridge, as well as various causeway improvements, including a landscaped village common, trees, benches, a colored concrete boardwalk, and energy-efficient lighting. In the application for the award, department communications officials characterized the initial response when the new bridge was proposed.

“When Maine DOT came to town to replace the structurally deficient swing span bridge with a fixed bridge in 2006, the outcry was swift and nearly unanimous,” the department wrote. “A ‘save our bridge’ group quickly coalesced to fight the cost-effective fixed bridge option that would also improve navigational clearance for boaters and eliminate traffic delays on Route 302, the east-west highway linking Maine and New Hampshire. But Maine DOT’s persistent and patient public outreach efforts eventually paid off and the town of Naples formed a working group that included former naysayers, town officials, and Maine DOT staff to develop the design concept.”

“The result is a landmark bridge and causeway that now serves as a tourist destination with enhanced vistas, landscaping, lighting and green space,” the department added.

In Naples, local business owners, many of whom opposed the project at first, agreed that the department had done a good job.

Kent Uicker, the owner of the Songo River Queen II, said that the department had greatly improved the look of the area. Although Uicker’s boat is now blocked from accessing its traditional route onto the Songo River by the new bridge, he said that the change has had no impact on his bottom line.

“That’s lost but this is much better scenery, and it had no adverse effect on our business,” Uicker said. “As a matter of fact our business is up.”

“The fact is it’s happened, so life goes on and you forget about things you have no control over,” Uicker said. “We were opposed to it, as well. Obviously that decision didn’t prevail, and we’ve made lemonade out of lemons.”

Ed Osborne, the co-owner of the Naples Casino building and Rick’s restaurant, said that the department did a “phenomenal job.” Osborne said he did not miss the long lines of traffic that accompanied the old swing bridge.

“I think the end results are really nice,” Osborne said. “I think it’s a really nice finished project, and it definitely keeps traffic moving a lot quicker than it used to with the bridge opening all the time.”

Both Osborne and Wayne Warren, the owner of Captain Dingley’s watersports store, said they had seen an increasing volume of foot traffic through the area.

Dom Gallinari of Bridgton, a recent graduate of Lake Region High School, said he often meets with his friends from high school in the area. Gallinari also said he enjoys skateboarding in the new pedestrian pathway under the bridge.

“It definitely deserves a quality of life award,” Gallinari said. “I think it looks a lot prettier. It makes me happy to drive over the causeway on a nice sunny day.”

Last week, Anthony Denuzzio of Gorham relaxed on a bench along the causeway with his wife, Tonia. Denuzzio said although he had driven through before, it was the first time he had ever stopped to hang out in the area.

“My wife said that the people on the boat out there were very lucky, and I said we’re very lucky,” Denuzzio said. “We’re sitting on a beautiful bench in the sunlight on Long Lake. We rode our motorcycle out here. It doesn’t really get much better.”

Dom Gallinari of Bridgton skateboards on the new pedestrian pathway under the bridge at the Naples Causeway. The Maine Department of Transportation’s construction efforts at the causeway site were recently honored by a national transportation trade group. On June 11, Anthony Denuzzio of Gorham, relaxed on a bench along the causeway with his wife, Tonia. Denuzzio said although he had driven through before, it was the first time he had ever stopped to hang out in the area.