The collapse of a newly built span of the Llewellyn Estes Bridge in Old Town on August 13, 2026, sent three workers into the Stillwater River; two were hospitalized, one suffered a fractured vertebra.
Maine DOT, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration’s Turner‑Fairbank Highway Research Center, has launched a joint investigation to pinpoint the root cause of the failure, reviewing design calculations, material samples and pour procedures.
Contractors Reed & Reed, Inc., and engineer Basalt Engineering International are cooperating, providing access to fabrication records and beam design files that went into the deck.
Demolition crews are now dismantling the damaged sections with hydraulic shears and crane lifts, while traffic on Stillwater Avenue is rerouted through Bennoch Road, North Main Street and College Avenue until the bridge can be safely cleared.
State transport officials said the temporary bridge that kept traffic moving remains structurally sound, but the investigation will dictate when the rebuild can resume. Local resident Maria Lopez, who lives across the river, watched the wreckage with her son, voicing concerns about the new bridge’s safety.