YOUR COMMENTS

Well, if folks aren't willing to pay taxes (or road use fees) to fund repair and replacement of infrastructure, this is what you get. I'ts not that hard to figure out.
- Joel, Nashua

Maybe some hope and change cash can fix, or rather tear down and rebuild the relic.

After all I heard with my own 2 ears, President O stating, we're building schools, roads and bridges with TARP money.

Why didn't our SENATORS (not taking political sides here, just want the job done) get any money for the bridge??
- Harry, Atkinson

This bridge had been rusting for 40 years, NHDOT keeps doing minor maitenace and it still is falling down. It has been unsafe since 1975.
- Terry Wood, Kittery, ME

Nothing lasts forever, with two other bridges nearby, one needing extensive repair itself, it's time to remove this decrepit relic.
- Tom, Madbury

It's a decrepit, creepy-looking, industrial WWI era eyesore. The design is of small metal stock riveted together to make very large box beams. These are extremely difficult to maintain, house untold pigeon nests and feces that encourages holding water rusting. It is impossible for pedestrians most of the year with it's unroofed easy-to-trip-on rough timber walkways across that wild tunnel of a river.

The retrograde thinkers who want to "preserve" it are utter fools without either economic, engineering, or aesthetic sense. Tear it down and replace it with a modern, low maintenance, DURABLE bridge.

A replacement does not need to be beefy enough to carry large trucks, there is another bridge (the Rte 1 bypass Sara Long Bridge,) right down the road trucks could use. Build a car and pedestrian and BICYCLE friendly bridge that is not a 19th century style eyesore and pigeon breeding ground. With the right design it could actually be a tourist attraction and include a covered sidewalk that would facilitate walkers and bikers to and from Kittery, expanding the ability of people to live and work in Portsmouth but rent in lower cost Kittery.
- Clarence, Portsmouth

- Laurie, Northwood: Perhaps it is too bad that Bill from Manchester did not fall in the river. Because if he had gotten wet, then we would not have to read about his "me" and "self-worth" attitudes. Perhaps he is also one of those public sector worker haters who resents someone else telling him what he is not permitted to do.
My guess is that the safety condition the inspectors found is serious. Else, why would they close a major vehicular artery?
- Gary L. Kerr, Chichester

It must not have been a problem Bill if you made it across without falling in the water.
- Laurie, Northwood

Bill from Manchester - this has been an ongoing problem with the bridge and if you traveled more often in that area you would have heard about it - or seen it shut down so they could work on in or inspect it
- Sara, Porstmouth

Bubble Gum and Bandaids...

And some still say we don't have to raise more funds for bridges and highways in this state
- Art, Portsmouth

Bill in Manch, did you even read the story? They did an inspection today, found a problem, and are closing to bridge to vehicle traffic for safety reasons until it can be fixed.

They obviously did not know about this "the last time [you] crossed it".
- Mike, Dover

So wait? They don't even have contractors yet and it's shutting down? Is there a serious danger to traveling this bridge? It would've been nice to know last time I crossed it.
- Bill, Manchester