New bridge restores Barter’s Island's connection After multiple delays related to COVID, the parts supply chain, and the complexity of the turning mechanism, Barter’s Island has a new bridge Author: Don Carrigan Updated: 8:41 PM EDT August 2, 2021 BOOTHBAY, Maine — It was a Monday morning party, 20-feet or so above the Back River, and as Glenn Philbrook began to speak, there were fireworks. Real fireworks. Philbrook, the Maine DOT resident engineer for the Barter’s Island bridge project, smiled and then laughed. The crown of 50 to 75 people laughed with him. They had all been waiting nearly two years for the moment.