HOULTON, Maine — The town’s historic Gateway Crossing Bridge in downtown Houlton will be a little bit brighter this spring thanks to a grant from the Putnam Charitable Trust.
The Houlton Town Council accepted a donation of $750 from the trust during a Dec. 30 meeting with the stipulation that the funds be used to replace the white lights that adorn the bridge.
The 187-foot trestle stretches from the North Street Bridge across the Meduxnekeag River and is designed to give walkers easy access to downtown Market Square, the adjacent park and playground and trails along the river.
“We appreciate this donation and look forward to the lights going up,” Houlton Town Manager Marian Anderson said. “For those of you who enjoy the bridge, we know what an addition they are.”
Council chairman Jane Torres said the replacement lights will be installed sometime in the spring, when it is easier to get the equipment needed to reach the massive archway of the bridge. Torres said that LED lights, which are currently used on the bridge, will be purchased for the project.
Torres said it had yet to be decided if the new lights would be similar to the tone of the lights used now, or something completely different.
Currently there are 400 feet of lights, with a bulb roughly every 12 inches, used on the bridge. The old lights and wires will be completely removed from the structure, Torres said.
“Volunteers will put [new lights] up with a lift borrowed from Buildings, Etc,” Torres said. “The arch is 40 feet above the deck, and 80 feet above the river, so the installers can’t be afraid of heights.”
The new lights are just the latest effort to keep the the bridge purposeful for residents. In December 2019, the town council voted to have snow cleared from the bridge for the first time in years so that it could be accessible year-round.
