Bridges Connecting Route 196 and Route 1 in Brunswick Will Close For Maintenance

If you commute over the bridges that connect Route 196 and Route 1 in Brunswick, be prepared for some detours starting Monday, April 11. The Maine DOT has planned maintenance for two bridges that connect Route 196, also known as the Brunswick-Topsham bypass, to Route 1 at the Topsham/Brunswick line.

According to the Penobscot Bay Pilot, the first of the two bridges to close will be the one that connects 196 to Route 1 north. So starting on Monday, April 11, if your commute takes you on 196 in Topsham toward Bath on Route 1, instead you'll head south on Route 1 and take the Maine Street exit to get back on Route 1 heading north.

Is that confusing? Yup! The good news is there will be plenty of signage pointing you in the right direction.

The northbound ramp to Route 1 will be closed from April 11 to April 20 if all goes well and then it's on to the next bridge. The one connecting northbound Route 1 traffic to Route 196. For reference, that's right here:

This closure will happen from Thursday, April 21 to Monday, May 2, and the detour will take drivers onto Pleasant Street and Bath Road through Brunswick and send them on to the southbound side of Route 1 at Cooks Corner. Again, if you're confused, there will be signs.

That whole connection between Routes 196 and 1 is confusing enough on its own to drivers who aren't familiar with it. Throw these detours in and it gets even more confusing. Just make sure if this is part of your daily routine, you give yourself extra time.