WATERVILLE/WINSLOW — The Ticonic Bridge, which connects Waterville and Winslow over the Kennebec River, will be closed to all traffic starting Jan. 6.

The Maine Department of Transportation says the bridge will be closed for approximately six months as crews continue to replace the bridge.

During the upcoming construction, transportation officials are asking residents and drivers to follow posted detour routes.

On-site construction is expected to be complete by the end of May 2027.

Construction began in December 2022 with the old bridge being replaced as parts of it were more than 100 years old. The new bridge structure is being built on top of the old one but will feature five lanes of traffic and wide shoulders.

The new bridge will also display a single concrete pier to support the new bridge to prevent ice jams from forming, transportation officials said.

According to the MaineDOT’s website, the Ticonic Bridge was built in the 1800s and was the country’s first steel truss bridge. In the early 1900s, the bridge became a concrete arch trolley bridge, where at times the trolley system across the bridge carried more than 2 million passengers a year.

The bridge was severely damaged following the Great Flood in 1936, before it was widened in 1970 to allow five lanes of traffic to deal with increased vehicle traffic.