A federal judge has again sided with the Maine Department of Transportation in its effort to replace the Frank J. Wood Bridge between Brunswick and Topsham.
The agency first put out contracts five years ago to replace the aging bridge, which has been labelled as "fracture critical."
But the project has faced repeated lawsuits from preservation groups who instead want to see the bridge repaired.
An appeals court largely sided with the state in the first lawsuit, but said the Federal Highway Administration needed to further justify the cost estimates for the project, which showed that it would cost substantially less to build a new bridge, instead of repairing it.
A new evaluation again found it would be cheaper to build. But last year, opponents filed another lawsuit, arguing that agencies relied on out-of-date cost estimates and didn't follow federal environmental laws.
In a decision last week, Judge Lance Walker rejected those arguments and sided with the state.
John Graham, the president of Friends of the Frank J. Wood Bridge, said he was, "disappointed but not surprised" in the judge's decision. Graham said the group had yet to decide on any next steps, such as potentially appealing the case.
A spokesperson for the Maine DOT said that the agency is "pleased" with the court rulings in support of its process and decision to replace the bridge. The DOT added that the ruling is "further confirmation" that the decision to replace the bridge was "sound."
The state has already awarded a contract for the bridge replacement project and begun construction.
