A project to replace the bridge that connects Brunswick and Topsham is underway after years of delays and legal wrangling.

On-site construction of a new bridge to replace the Frank J. Wood Bridge, which is more than 90 years old and rated in poor condition, began recently, the Maine Department of Transportation announced this week.

Motorists are not expected to experience any construction-related delays until 2025, with the new bridge slated to be finished by 2026.

The $50 million replacement bridge over the Androscoggin River will be upstream from the current span and will have sidewalks on both sides, parks on both ends and unobstructed views of Pejepscot Falls, according to transportation officials.

Since November 2021, all commercial traffic has been prohibited from using the bridge and it is inspected every six months to ensure safety. Transportation officials consider it “fracture critical.”

The state started considering options for the bridge in 2014 and in January, announced that it was ready to accept bids for the construction work after getting the green light from federal officials.

For years, the Friends of the Frank J. Wood Bridge have sued the state in an attempt to stop the project, saying that the historic bridge should be rehabilitated not replaced and that the state has failed to accurately estimate the replacement costs.