The Maine supreme court says the state Transportation Department legally took land occupied by a well-known restaurant so it could build a new bridge over the Penbobscot River.
In its ruling Thursday, the court says the former owners of the Sail Inn failed to present any evidence, other than personal opinion, contradicting the state’s position that taking all five acres of the restaurant’s land in Prospect was necessary.
The court also says plaintiffs Paul and Robert Dyer not contest that traffic safety concerns existed during construction of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge near the site of the Sail Inn.
The state condemned land for construction of a bridge to replace the Waldo-Hancock Bridge, which was built in 1931. The replacement bridge opened in 2006.
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