LEWISTON — Temporary repairs to a small bridge to Simard-Payne Park will begin in a few months, councilors agreed Tuesday.

Councilors voted 6-1 to spend up to $25,000 to make the 55-foot-long Beech Street bridge able to hold up to 20 tons. They also agreed to ask other property owners that rely on the bridge to pitch in.

“Contributing in some way is a good idea,” Mayor Larry Gilbert said. “I’m not sure if they all can. But we can ask.”

Councilor Larry Poulin was the lone dissenting vote.

The bridge is located at the end of Beech Street and is designed to carry vehicles from Oxford Street over the canal and into the park. Pedestrian bridges, one just north of Birch Street, another on the north end of the park and a third over the Androscoggin River to Auburn, are not affected.

It’s the only access for cars to five properties surrounded by the canals and the Androscoggin River. The city owns two, and they make up the park. Museum LA owns the old Camden Yarn Mill, M& B Reality owns the portion along the southeastern end of the canal and FPL Energy owns a narrow piece along the southern end of the area.

A February inspection showed that the bridge had deteriorated significantly since a 2007 inspection, and the city posted a warning on the bridge saying it could not carry more than two tons. But it rules out most trucks, SUVs, semis and all city fire and ambulance rescue vehicles.

That’s a problem for the Museum LA, hoping to do demolition and repairs now at the old mill, the future home of the museum and for special events and festivals that use the park.

Ownership of the bridge is cloudy, but City Administrator Ed Barrett said the city is sure that it does not own it.

Councilor Mark Cayer said he’s not interested in taking money away from any of the park’s neighbors.

“I’m not looking to take money from cancer research or the balloon festival, but I think the land owners should step up,” Cayer said. “But if they want to offer some help, I think that would be fine.”

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