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106.5 WMEF-FM in Fort Kent is off the air for needed maintenance and upgrades including a new antenna installation. This work is estimated to last thru Friday. We apologize for the disruption.

Maine Turnpike Authority working to remove concrete chunks like one that fell on car

The Maine Turnpike Authority is trying to prevent incidents like one last Friday when a chunk of concrete

The Maine Turnpike Authority is trying to prevent incidents like one last Friday when a chunk of concrete fell from a highway bridge onto a passing motorist on Interstate 295 in Falmouth.

The Maine Turnpike Authority board was told at its regular meeting Thursday that highway workers check older bridges for pieces of loose concrete that can fall on vehicles, and remove them when they're found.

In the case in Falmouth, a chunk of concrete fell from the bridge carrying the Falmouth Spur and crashed through the windshield of a passing vehicle. The driver was uninjured.

Turnpike Chief Operations Officer Peter Merfeld says an older type of bridge was built with concrete "haunches" that sit on top of bridge girders.

Merfeld says the haunches were wider than the girder, overhanging the road, and they can start to break and fall as they age.

On newer bridges, the haunches are the same width as the girders so there is no overhang.