BOWDOIN, Maine — Severe storms that rocked western and central Maine infrastructure in May continue to cause issues for some towns.
A project in Lisbon is challenging officials in two municipalities and will leave a community isolated.
A May Day storm swelled a stream and compromised a small bridge on West Burrough Road. The bridge is in Lisbon, and the town will vote on a permanent replacement in November. In the meantime, they will rent and install a temporary bridge construction that will close that section of road to vehicles for three days beginning Aug. 7.
There's a problem with that closure.
The road on the east side of the bridge, which is in Bowdoin, is a dead-end street. At least 30 residents will have to plan how they’ll leave home. Kloey Arsenault lives on the affected side and said this has been a topic of discussion at home.
"We definitely thought it was unfortunate, and we do have people on the road that need medical assistance," Arsenault said. "We were just, kind of, worried about them and how that would affect them; and obviously us getting to work and stuff. So, we’re not gonna be able to stay at our house for the three days that it’s closed."
Arsenault said her family would wait out the construction at her grandmother's home elsewhere in Lisbon.
Lisbon Town Manager Glenn Michalowski worked to smooth things over before smoothing the asphalt.
"We understand this is an inconvenience and a disruption to their lives," Michalowski. "But, given the options available to us, this is the best option that we feel we have."