The Piscataqua River will be closed to all marine traffic for 10 days in the vicinity of the replacement Sarah Mildred Long Bridge that is under construction.

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The Coast Guard announced Tuesday that the closure is scheduled to begin at 6 a.m. on Oct. 17 and end at approximately 6 a.m. on Oct. 27.

According to a press release, the river closure will allow the Maine Department of Transportation and Cianbro Construction to install the new 2,000-ton lift span across the main shipping channel, according to the Coast Guard, which called the closure necessary to provide for the safety of all waterway users and construction workers.

The original Sarah Long Bridge opened in 1940, connecting Portsmouth to Kittery via the Route 1 Bypass, and it was closed permanently in August 2016. Construction of the new bridge began in 2015 and is expected to cost more than $170 million.

The bridge is expected to be open to cars sometime this November.

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