Ever Wondered What it Looks Like From the Top of Maine’s Carlton Bridge?

If you've ever crossed the Kennebec River bridge between Bath and Woolwich, you've likely seen the nearly 100-year-old bridge next to the 25-year-old bridge. Have you ever wondered what the view from the top of the Carlton Bridge looks like?

History of the Carlton Bridge

Completed in 1927, the Carlton Bridge was built for automotive and rail traffic. Since the Sagadahoc Bridge was completed in 2000, the bridge now only carries sporadic rail traffic to Bath Ironworks and occasional passenger rail traffic to Rockland.  Portions of the upper deck, which used to be Route 1, have been removed.

Lift Bridge

The Carlton Bridge is also a lift bridge that raises the rail deck to allow boats to pass underneath. The two towers you see above are what do the heavy lifting whenever the bridge needs to be raised or lowered.

READ MORE: 5 Iconic Bridges in Maine You Should Take a Trip Over

Can you imagine what the view would be like from the top of those towers that operate the lift span? Leave it to a Maine DOT worker who was doing maintenance on top of one of the towers and took a picture. It's breathtaking!

It's a Long Way Down

This nearly 100-year-old bridge still needs lots of maintenance, so what better way to get a perspective of just how high above the Kennebec River you would be standing if you were at the top.

This is by no means the highest bridge in Maine, but it's still quite an amazing piece of architecture. If you want to go to the top of the highest bridge in Maine, check out the observatory at the Penobscot Narrows Bridge. It's on my bucket list of places in Maine to visit.