I have contacted Acadia National Park on more than one occasion requesting that the Duck Brook Motor Bridge vista be restored to its original view from Rt 3.  I have been told by them that others have also made the same request.

 

1. I was told once that the view could not be restored due to Wood Ducks living under the bridge. In addition to the fact that I have never seen Wood Ducks near the bridge, Wood Ducks are not an endangered species to my knowledge.  They are legal to hunt. Their numbers have expanded into westward states due to the use of nesting boxes to assist their numbers. They are not generally hunted, as opposed to Mallards which live in open areas and are therefore easier to hunt.

2. On another occasion, I was told that wetland laws prevent returning the vista to Duck Brook Motor Bridge. I do not have expertise in this area.  A brook runs under the bridge some of the time.  At other times it is bone dry under the bridge.  Maine 38 MRSA 480-B (4) Describes Maine Wetlands as “Inland Marshes, Coastal Wetlands, Peatlands, Shrub Swamps, Forested Swamps, Forested Flood Plain Wetlands, and Vernal Ponds”. None of these terms accurately describe Duck Brook which is a brook commencing at Eagle Lake and flowing into Frenchman’s Bay.

3. On another occasion, I received a letter describing A Stream Protection District setback, SLZ 75 foot and other delineated restrictions and although it stated some things could be done, nothing was.

 

I quickly became elbow-deep in conflicting regulations, maps, and countless phone calls trying to accurately research the questions and find definitions, exceptions, and variances.  I stopped because I remembered that the ORIGINAL CLEAR VIEW of Duck Brook Motor Bridge from Rt 3 existed for many years. Look at my photo section.  Because the ORIGINAL VIEW was NOT MAINTAINED as it should have been on an ongoing basis, we now have NO VIEW.  There may even exist invasive species growing in the ravine below the bridge. Therefore, we are respectfully requesting that Acadia determine the solution to this problem and correct it, and restore the ORIGINAL VIEW of Duck Brook Motor Bridge from RT 3, Bar Harbor.  Every day solutions are found to correct past mistakes.  There is every reason to restore the view of Duck Brook Motor Bridge from Rt 3, as this bridge is a cultural jewel, steeped in the history of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., the members of the Greatest Generation that built it, and the history of Acadia.  Restoring the original view can only enhance the visitors experience and provide a symbol of the beauty of Acadia.