AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  Three Maine bridges will be replaced thanks to a $10.8 million federal grant.

A federal TIGER grant will replace bridges deemed structurally deficient or at risk of fracture in Piscataquis and Penobscot counties.

The Maine Department of Transportation says it wants to replace the bridges before they fall into complete disrepair and harm the region’s economy and infrastructure.

Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner David Bernhardt said the grant will help loggers, area residents and visitors in an economically challenged area.

The bridges are Mattawamkeag Bridge, Pleasant River Bridge and West Branch Bridge.

Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins is chair of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee and says she helped secure the grant.