‘Like giant Legos going together’: Watch a time lapse of the I-295 bridge replacement

Watch a time lapse of the first 400-ton Interstate 295 bridge section over Veranda Street being moved into place on Saturday afternoon. The time lapse is a 28-minute long video clip made with a drone that was sped up to about 1 minute. Vertical movement of the bridge section and ground is due to the drone steadying itself in winds.

The ambitious project to replace the 60-year-old bridge in Portland in one weekend is on schedule, and the highway is expected to reopen Monday morning.

“Three days’ time, and this bridge will be done,” said Gov. Janet Mills, who toured the site Saturday and said she was pleased with the rapid progress. “It’s amazing. It’s like giant Legos going together.”

Read more about the project here.

Workers move about the site as the demolition of the Veranda Street bridge starts on Friday night. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Debris falls as large excavators begin the demolition of the Veranda Street Bridge on Friday night. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Callan Cassidy watches as demolition of the Veranda Street Bridge begins on Friday night. Cassidy said that she looking forward to her house not shaking when trucks go over the bridge. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Jennifer Tingle and Ed Cunningham watch as demolition of the Veranda Street Bridge begins on Friday night. “We have been waiting for this”, Ed said, “We are excited to have it done.” Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Demolition of the Veranda Street bridge on Friday night. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Debris falls at the start of the demolition of the Veranda Street Bridge. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Sections of the new bridge are ready to be placed. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Steel beams from the old I-295 bridge over Veranda Street in Portland are removed on Saturday morning. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

Steel beams of the old I-295 bridge over Veranda Street in Portland are removed on Saturday morning. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

Lyle McDonald, 3, surveys the construction scene on Veranda Street from atop his father’s shoulders on Saturday as workers clear away debris from the I-295 bridge. Lyle was asking his father John numerous questions about all the equipment at the site and what workers were doing. “We’ve talked about it all week,” John McDonald said. “I think it will be difficult to get him to leave here.” The two, who live in Falmouth just over Martin’s Point bridge, walked down to watch the progress. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

With the steel beams of the old I-295 bridge over Veranda Street removed, workers clear debris from the bridge abutments on Saturday morning. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

The first deck on the I-295 bridge over Veranda Street in Portland is put into place on Saturday afternoon. It took about a half hour to roll the deck into position where it could be lowered into place. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

A worker climbs an embankment as the first deck section is rolled into place at the Veranda Street bridge project on I-295 on Saturday afternoon. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer