WATERFORD – The Maine Department of Transportation will be replacing the surface of Bear Pond Bridge on Route 37 in South Waterford starting Monday, June 19.

Drivers using Route 37 in South Waterford should use extra care and caution during the project, the Maine Department of Transportation advised.

“We’re going to be working on Bear Pond Bridge, which carries Route 37 over the Bear River just south of the intersection of Routes 35 and 37 near the Waterford-Bridgton town line,” Herb Noyes of Maine DOT’s Dixfield office said.

Noyes said crews will be removing and replacing the wearing surface, or top layer, of the existing bridge deck. “The wearing surface on the existing bridge has deteriorated to the point that it no longer protects the rest of the bridge structure. It needs to be replaced to protect our investment in the bridge structure and to provide a smoother ride for traffic crossing the bridge,” he said.

Construction is expected to take seven to eight weeks, depending on the weather.

“During construction, we’ll be restricting traffic to one lane of the bridge while we work on the other lane,” he said. “Adapting to new traffic patterns takes time. Drivers need to be prepared for another vehicle to be on the bridge as they approach. Even when there is no other traffic, drivers should be alert to the possible presence of construction workers and equipment. It’s for their own safety as well as the safety of our workers,” Noyes said.