- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Oakfield Today
By the People, for the People
Small Maine Bridge Replacement Wins National Award
Thomas Brook Rail Bridge Replacement project in Oakfield, Maine, recognized as ENR Best of the Best Project
Published on Feb. 18, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
A small bridge replacement project in Oakfield, Maine, has been awarded the prestigious Engineering News-Record (ENR) Best of the Best Projects award in the Small Project category. The Thomas Brook Rail Bridge Replacement, built by Sargent Corporation, involved replacing a failing concrete box culvert with a 170-foot precast concrete arch installed beneath six active rail tracks, all while maintaining a tight schedule and ensuring safety.
Why it matters
The Thomas Brook Rail Bridge Replacement project demonstrates how a small but complex infrastructure project can be executed with exceptional planning, coordination, and attention to detail, even in a challenging environment like an active railyard. The national recognition highlights the expertise and innovation of the Maine-based construction firm Sargent Corporation.
The details
The project required removing the existing crossing, a failing concrete box culvert, and installing a new 170-foot precast concrete arch beneath six active rail tracks. The work had to be completed on a tight 14-day schedule, with a critical 96-hour window to complete the main line. The team used a specialized quick-curing concrete mix and adapted placement methods to ensure the closure pours could cure within 12 hours. Despite the constraints, the project was completed 13 hours ahead of schedule with no safety incidents.
- The existing crossing was a failing concrete box culvert.
- The new 170-foot precast concrete arch was installed beneath six rail tracks.
- The team had 14 days to remove the tracks and a 96-hour window to complete the main line.
- The project was completed in 83 hours, 13 hours ahead of schedule.
- The Thomas Brook Rail Bridge Replacement project was recognized as an ENR New England Best Projects winner in December 2025 and later selected as a national ENR Best of the Best Projects winner in March 2026.
The players
Sargent Corporation
A Maine-based construction firm that executed the Thomas Brook Rail Bridge Replacement project.
Jonathan Nadeau
The night crew superintendent on the project, with nearly 20 years of experience.
Brent Williams
The project executive who oversaw the specialized concrete mix and placement methods.
Keith Edgecomb
The superintendent who managed the around-the-clock work and ensured safety.
Engineering News-Record (ENR)
A long-running construction industry publication that recognized the Thomas Brook Rail Bridge Replacement project as a national Best of the Best winner.
What they’re saying
“Oakfield was one of the most time-demanding projects I've worked on during my nearly 20-year career. It took a lot of people doing a lot of the right things.”
— Jonathan Nadeau, Night Crew Superintendent (Bangor Daily News)
“The problem with this quick-curing mix is that you pour it in, and as soon as that water hits it, it just sets. So you've got about one minute, and it's ready to go.”
— Brent Williams, Project Executive (Bangor Daily News)
“We had 14 days to remove the tracks, and a 96-hour window to complete the main line. We completed the first phase as one crew, so when we shifted to 24-hour operations with separate day and night teams, everyone had already seen the full process, regardless of which step we were on.”
— Keith Edgecomb, Superintendent (Bangor Daily News)
“It was not a race. We had 7,600 man-hours with no safety incidents.”
— Keith Edgecomb, Superintendent (Bangor Daily News)
What’s next
Members of the Sargent field crew will attend the national ENR Best of the Best Projects awards event in New York City on March 26, 2026 to receive the national recognition.
The takeaway
The Thomas Brook Rail Bridge Replacement project demonstrates how a small but complex infrastructure project can be executed with exceptional planning, coordination, and attention to detail, even in a challenging environment like an active railyard. The national recognition highlights the expertise and innovation of the Maine-based construction firm Sargent Corporation.
