It’s not a bridge over troubled waters but a small 50-year-old span linking George Wright Road to a private residence is proving to be a headache for Woolwich selectmen.

On Tuesday morning, April 26, Selectmen Lloyd Coombs, Dale Chadbourne and Chairman David King Sr. met with Michael Morse, head of the Department of Environmental Protection’s shoreland zoning southern district. Joining them at Nequasset Brook where the bridge is located were Road Commissioner Jack Shaw and Code Enforcement Officer Bruce Engert.

King said the meeting was to discuss whether the DEP would allow the town to build a road near the brook if the bridge were ever discontinued. The road would provide access to a home and property owned by Matthew Richard that’s presently served by the bridge.

“If it ever became necessary to close the bridge the town would be obligated to provide the Richards with access to their property,” King commented in a telephone interview after the meeting. He said the town office had asked for the DEP’s input because the road falls within shoreland zoning due to it proximity to the brook.

“Because the town had laid out a road here in 1958, the DEP said we’d be allowed to build it,” King explained. The road would be an extension from where it presently ends off Barley Neck Road on the east side of the brook. It was originally planned to extend to an area along the shore once used as a boat launch but was never built.

King emphasized the board has no immediate plans to either discontinue the bridge or extend the road. “Our intent is to have all the options we can for the townspeople to consider,” he said.

Engert added before the road could be lengthened it would require approval of the town’s planning board. The code enforcement officer called the meeting with Morse very productive.

Because the bridge is town -owned, it’s inspected by the Maine Department of Transportation every two years. Its next inspection is scheduled for November. MDOT estimated the bridge would exceed its life expectancy in 2033.

The bridge is constructed of steel I-beams with a wooden decking and steel railings. King said it drew the attention of selectmen this past January after a tractor-trailer truck was observed crossing it. The bridge is posted at 12 tons.

The Wiscasset Newspaper received notification of the meeting via an email from the Woolwich town clerk at 9:43 a.m. on April 26 the morning of the meeting. It stated the select board would meet with the DEP representative at Nequasset stream at 10 a.m. Because of the short notification the newspaper’s correspondent wasn’t able to attend the meeting.

King apologized for the short notification.  He said the town administrator wasn’t available to post an agenda due to a sudden death in the family.

“It was entirely my fault, I should have telephoned and reminded the town clerk to give the proper public and press notification,” he said.

King added that selectmen Allison Helper and Jason Shaw were both notified in advance of the meeting but were unable to attend. The meeting required advance notification because it involved three of the board’s five selectmen.

Two other meetings scheduled

The board was set to meet again on Wednesday, April 27 between 3 and 3:30 p.m. at the Woolwich Town office to present the Boston Post Cane to Alice Bond.

On Thursday, April 28 at 4 p.m. selectmen will meet at Nequasset Dam with KELT and Bath Water District regarding a fence for viewing of the forthcoming annual alewife run.