Work to strengthen the Southport Bridge, which spans Townsend Gut and connects Boothbay Harbor and Southport Island, is scheduled to begin the first week of September and should take about two months to complete, Devin Prock of Prock Marine said Aug. 25.

The Maine Department of Transportation awarded Prock Marine the contract for the Southport Bridge project last May. Prock said they will be adding steel plates and concrete and making other repairs to strengthen the bridge floorbeam and structure.

Both automobile and marine traffic will still flow over and under the bridge during construction, but some lane and total bridge closures are planned.

Beginning around Sept. 15 and ending some time in November, Route 27 over Southport Bridge will be reduced to one lane with alternating traffic during weekdays, Monday through Friday. Wide loads, greater than 10 feet, will only be able to cross the bridge on weekends during this time. The bridge will still open to allow marine traffic to pass.

The Southport Bridge will be completely closed to both automobile and marine traffic from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 1, Oct. 16 and Oct. 31. Prock said if there is a need for emergency vehicles to cross the bridge during the three overnight closures, they will be allowed to do so.

“That’s the top priority,” he said.

“Our main concern was being sure that we could get across with ambulances or other emergency vehicles if we had to,” Southport Selectman Gerry Gamage said. “We are also talking to Boothbay Region Ambulance Service to work up a contingency plan so we are sure we are covered during those times.”