The General Sullivan Bridge in coastal New Hampshire, a 90-year-old steel truss highway span that permanently closed in 2018 after being deemed unsafe for use, will finally be demolished sometime during winter 2025.
The structure stretches 1,585 ft. over Little Bay between the towns of Newington and Dover. Until 1984, the bridge carried traffic along U.S. Highway 4/N.H. 4/Spaulding Turnpike both north and south. It was shuttered to motor vehicles because of its deteriorating condition, the result of its age and the area's harsh coastal climate.
After that, the General Sullivan Bridge was repurposed as a pedestrian walkway and a popular fishing spot in the area. By 2010, however, specific areas of the structure were closed due to its poor condition before repairs were made in 2011. It continued to serve as a crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists for the next seven years.
A temporary crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists since August 2019 has been provided within the easterly shoulder of the Spaulding Turnpike.
New Hampshire's Executive Council voted Oct. 15, 2025, to award a $28.4 million contract to Reed & Reed in Woolwich, Maine, to demolish the bridge. Eighty percent of its funding will come from the federal government, while state turnpike toll credits will pay for the remaining 20 percent.
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) needed three attempts to solicit a contractor for the bridge removal, and the latest effort was the only bid the state received, according to InDepthNH.com, the online news outlet for the New Hampshire Center for Public Interest Journalism.
NHDOT Commissioner William Cass told the council that the earlier bids were not awarded due to their exceedingly high cost projections. He feared that if the project went out to bid for a fourth time, contractors would begin to lose faith in the state and its bidding process.
Prior to the vote, an effort by Executive Councilors John Stephen and David Wheeler to table the request failed at the Oct. 15 session.
However, their fellow council members, Joe Kenney and Janet Stevens, said during the meeting that the work needed to be done now and agreed with Cass that the decaying bridge could be a hazard to navigation and the public, as well as a liability, if was left to stand.
Cass also warned the council that any delays in the demolition could result in cost escalations. Given the political climate in Washington, he noted, the state also ran the risk of losing its federal funding if the bridge demolition was tabled.
Stephen countered that much of the $28.4 million could instead be used for other projects in the state's upcoming 10-year highway plan through 2037, which is $400 million short of the funds needed without an increase in toll fees. He also noted that about $18.5 million in federal funds could be redirected for the bridge's repair.
Cass insisted that the General Sullivan Bridge's demolition is one of the state's top road priorities and must be done.
"It can't sit there indefinitely," he said.
Kenney said he was more apt to move the contract along because "ultimately it is the right thing to do."
After hearing all the arguments for and against the bridge's removal, the council agreed to completely raze the old and rusting structure.
Deficiencies Have Spelled the End for the Old Bridge
The General Sullivan Bridge project has been on New Hampshire's Red List of deficient bridges since 1979, InDepthNH.com reported.
"This project will remove the superstructure of the bridge to address safety concerns for marine users that cross underneath the bridge," the demolition contract reads.
That superstructure consists of a nine-span Warren truss with a total length of 1,528 ft. It is made up of six deck truss approach spans (three spans on each approach) that flank a three-span partial through-arch truss centered over the federal navigational channel, according to its specifications.
In addition, eight granite-faced concrete piers and two reinforced concrete abutments support the General Sullivan's superstructure.
The bridge originally carried two lanes of vehicular traffic, but in 1984, with the widening of the Spaulding Turnpike and construction of the Northbound Little Bay Bridge, all vehicular traffic was removed from the General Sullivan. It continued to serve as a crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists until its closure in September 2018.
"This project involves complete removal of the superstructure of the General Sullivan Bridge. Select components of the bridge will be salvaged and installed for display as part of the agreed to mitigation," noted the construction agreement. "At the Dover approach, the superstructure of the existing pedestrian access bridge will be fenced off. At the Newington approach, the approach path will be fenced off at the path junction with Shattuck Way."
Without a pedestrian/cyclist bridge at the site, enthusiasts have been forced to take a 25-mi. detour to travel between Newington and Dover.
A future contract, Cass said, will study alternatives to provide permanent pedestrian access across Little Bay.
