Senator Collins Attends Sarah Mildred Long Bridge Celebration in Kittery
Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks at a ceremony celebrating the completion of the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge. U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Governor Paul LePage, Maine DOT Commissioner David Bernhardt, and New Hampshire DOT Commissioner Victoria Sheehan were also in attendance.
“Since it was built in 1940, the Sarah Mildred Long Bride has been a major avenue facilitating the flow of goods, services, and people between Maine and New Hampshire, as well as the workers and materials to and from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,” said Senator Collins. “Together, along with Commissioners Bernhardt and Sheehan, civic leaders and legislators from both states, we are writing a new chapter in the shared history of Maine and New Hampshire. May our friendship remain strong and our economic ties be enriched by this new bridge.”
As Chairman of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, one of Senator Collins’ highest priorities is to strengthen our region’s transportation infrastructure. In 2014, Senator Collins secured more than $25 million in federal TIGER grant funding for the project’s rail component, which contributes to our national security by enabling the safe and efficient transportation of materials to and from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.
TIGER—now known as BUILD—provides federal assistance for vital transportation projects across the country. Since the program’s inception in 2009, Senator Collins has secured more than $133 million for key transportation investments throughout Maine, including bridges, seaports, and rail projects. Maine grant applications for this program have been successful in every funding round. The FY19 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill that Senator Collins coauthored, which passed the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously yesterday, would provide $1 billion for BUILD Grants.
The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, originally built in 1940, spans the Piscataqua River between Kittery and Portsmouth. The design process for the new bridge began in 2013 with construction starting in winter 2015. The bridge opened to traffic on March 30, 2018.
