The Associated Press – The latest in bridge construction technology goes unnoticed by drivers zipping over a two-lane highway that carves through the countryside of central Maine.

The 35-foot-long Neal Bridge on Route 11 is the first in the nation to use a process developed at the University of Maine that’s dubbed “bridge in a backpack” because the materials used to make the arches can be carried to the site in duffel bags.

Once at the site, a light, durable fabric that folds as easily as a pair of pants is filled with concrete to form arches that will support the span. They’re installed in a matter of days or even hours, instead of weeks. The process is being touted as a way to cut costs and lengthen the life expectancy of bridges. [read more…]