MADAWASKA, Maine — Government officials and members of the community came together in Madawaska on Tuesday to celebrate the opening of a new bridge along with a new port-of-entry.
It not only links two towns but two nations.
"It's not just about the transportation of vehicles, it's the connecting two cultures," MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note said.
With the new Madawaska-Edmundston Bridge and port-of-entry, Van Note and other MaineDOT officials say people will now have a reliable path connecting both nations and no longer have to worry about the structural integrity of the old bridge.
"Getting it open just safely and reliably for the next 100 years—that's just a huge milestone," Van Note said.
According to project leaders, the new port-of-entry and bridge will be much more spacious with new security checkpoints, allowing for more lanes and an easier flow of traffic.
It gives agents with border security the ability to complete checks quicker, and ultimately more people the opportunity to travel over the crossing.
"They have wider lanes, they have more lanes, they have better technology so you can just roll through, so essentially, they can make it more efficient, more welcoming, more ease of use, while also being more secure," Van Note said.
Officials say it's not just a good thing for commerce but for people living on both sides of the St. John River.
"People live in Madawaska and they have families in Edmundston or the surrounding communities, so people like to get together and the bridge offers that continued opportunity to share those experiences," Madawaska Town Manager David Daigle said.
Daigle said he is also working with officials over in Edmundston to find a way to efficiently transport snowmobiles and ATVs over the bridge for recreational and commercial use.
And according to Maine DOT, the new bridge is built to serve members of the community and anyone traveling across the international crossing for the next 100 years to come.