By Terry Karkos,Staff Writer

BETHEL – On paper, everything looked fine.

But when contractor Reed and Reed of Woolwich arrived with a towering crane at the Route 2 site for Bethel’s new pedestrian-bicycle-snowmobile bridge over the Androscoggin River, a problem suddenly arose.

Two high-voltage power lines were deemed too close to the location where the 400-foot span was designed to go, said Maine Department of Transportation project manager Andy MacDonald.

The contractor, MacDonald said, was concerned about his crane’s proximity to the Central Maine Power wires, and about high winds.

“So, we have to do a minor alignment change and move the bridge 15 feet downriver. We’re redesigning quickly,” MacDonald said Thursday morning.

That’s why he was talking with abutters Thursday, and acquiring a small easement from Jeff and Pattie Parsons, owners of Bethel Outdoor Adventure and Campground at 121 Mayville Road, which is also known as Route 2.

The $1.4 million construction project, which has been in the works since the mid-1990s, MacDonald said, is expected to be completed on Sept. 30, barring any unforeseen issues.

“People are very excited about this. It’s going to be impressive,” he said of the project, which will give Bethel the longest pedestrian-bicycle-snowmobile bridge in the state when completed.

“It’s going to be a real plus, and we’re fortunate to get it,” said Rep. Arlan Jodrey of Bethel, whom Jeff Parsons said was instrumental in working with the state to bring the project to fruition.

“Bicycling is going to be big here because of it. Most people don’t realize it, but there’s a big effort under way to expand the biking industry in Maine,” he added.

The Parsons said that they, too, were very excited about the project. Not only is it expected to boost recreational opportunities in winter and summer, but, Jeff Parsons said, it will resolve safety issues for pedestrians, bicyclists and snowmobilers.

Jodrey said that because the narrow Route 2 bridge is tipped up at an angle, it shunts bicycle and snowmobile traffic into the travel lane.

“Thankfully, the state has seen the safety issue and they’re doing something about it,” Parsons said.

Pile-driving work to place two piers in the river channel, coupled with concrete abutment work on both banks, is expected to take two to three months to complete.

The steel span itself is being fabricated over four months by ARC, a company in Kingfield that fabricated the Scarborough Marsh bridge.

Once the bridge is completed, Bethel is to take ownership of it and would be responsible for maintenance.

To allow snowmobile traffic to use the bridge, the town must pass an ordinance.

Such a policy, Town Manager Scott Cole said, has been on the drawing board for 18 months with the Board of Selectmen. They are expected to vote on the measure by May 1.