Bullseye Bridge – Bangor ME

Description

One of the 26 bridges that were destroyed or damaged by the 1936 flood. A Maine Highway report notes that the reconstruction of these bridges was a U.S. Works Program Flood Relief project and were handled under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Public Roads, U.S. Department of Agriculture. All bridges were placed under construction in 1936. Labor was provided on some by the Works Progress Administration.

Before the flood, the Bullseye bridge was a wooden covered bridge that was noted for its circular windows which is where it got its name. The 1936 town report notes in the forward that the “Bull’s Eye Bridge, which has been in a dangerous condition for several years, was permanently damaged by the ice last spring, thereby neccessitating its rebuilding.” The bridge built by the New Deal was a steel Warren through truss bridge that was noted for its narrow width. Some comments from local peopIe: “never liked crossing the bridge, it was very narrow and barely had room for 2 cars” “When I had my permit the first time I want to cross that bridge school bus started on the bridge as I started and I’m sitting there going we’re not gonna make it we’re not gonna make it! And my mothers sitting there saying stop stop! And I close my eyes and drove across the bridge and didn’t hit the bus! I don’t Thank my mother ever rode in the car with me driving again!” “I remember the Bullseye as a steel bridge and it was very narrow. My box truck had pipe racks on the side for rebar and cold rolled steel pipe. There was room for me to cross the on coming traffic…but not much. Many oncoming traffic folks would stop, either before or while on the bridge, as they weren’t sure there was room.” In 1992, the bridge was replaced with a steel I beam and reinforced concrete bridge.