The Route 18 bridge connecting Littleton, N.H., and Waterford, Vt., will need to be replaced

The Route 18 bridge connecting Littleton, N.H., and Waterford, Vt., will need to be replaced. Originally, the bridge was scheduled for a $4.1 million deck repair next year; however, work has been postponed until at least 2030 due to changes in the project’s scope and cost. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) has determined that deck repairs were no longer feasible, after further studies revealed that the bridge supports are beyond repair. The revised project cost is around $4.8 million, according to state reports. The timeline for public input and project design is to be determined. Built in 1934, the bridge has been on the state’s “red list” since 2014 due to its substandard condition. The 90-year-old Route 18 bridge is owned 67 percent by New Hampshire and 33 percent by Vermont. It has undergone periodic improvements over the years. As of 2022, approximately 1,500 vehicles crossed the 53-foot long, 30.6 foot wide bridge each day, with around eight percent of those vehicles being trucks.