The River Road covered bridge
The River Road covered bridge in Troy collapsed over the weekend due to a fire. Over the weekend, the only covered bridge in the Northeast Kingdom town of Troy burned down. Many in town are mourning the loss of the 111-year-old landmark.
Why are there so many covered bridges in Vermont?
The majority of covered bridges in Vermont were built between 1820 and the late 1800’s, to allow pedestrians, livestock and eventually vehicles cross rivers in isolated parts of the countryside.
What town in Vermont has the most covered bridges?
Queenpost truss. Comstock Bridge, built in 1883, crosses the Trout River. Town lattice construction. Montgomery holds bragging rights as the Vermont town with the most covered bridges, with six inside the town limits and one on the town border.
Which state in the US has the most covered bridges?
Vermont is home to more than 100 covered bridges, boasting more covered bridges per square mile than any other U.S state. The bridges date from 1820 (the original Pulp Mill Bridge across Otter Creek in Middlebury), with most constructed during the mid and late 19th Century.
What state has the most wooden covered bridges?
Why are some old bridges covered?
The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered wooden bridges typically have a lifespan of only 20 years because of the effects of rain and sun, but a covered bridge could last over 100 years. Once common, only about 1 in 10 survived the 20th century.
What’s the point of a covered bridge?
The fundamental structural purpose for covering a bridge is to shield the trusses and deck from the elements. Because wooden bridges with exposed superstructures are vulnerable to rot, covering and roofing the bridges protects the trusses from the weather, and so they last longer.
How many covered bridges does Vermont have?
What are some famous covered bridges in Vermont?
Longest town lattice span in Vermont. A rare two lane covered bridge. Highest covered bridge from its waterway in Vermont. This bridge is one of two remaining rail road covered bridges in the state of Vermont. Closed to motor traffic. This bridge is mostly in New Hampshire, due to the state line being the western edge of the river.
What happened to Troy’s historic covered bridge?
After a historic covered bridge was destroyed by a snowmobile fire, town leaders in Troy, Vermont, are starting to grapple with the process of reconnecting a road that was left impassible.“It’s devastating,” said Tomasz Adach of Westfield, who came to take pictures Monday of the wreckage of the River Road Covered Bridge in Troy.
Can the River Road bridge be saved?
Bill Caswell heads the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges… and says architecturally, the River Road Bridge was unusual because it had external braces to protect it from cross- winds. ( (BILL CASWELL / National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges: 1:21:13: our hope is something out of here can be salvaged.))
What is an authentic covered bridge?
A covered bridge is considered authentic not due to its age, but by its construction. An authentic bridge is constructed using trusses rather than other methods such as stringers (a popular choice for non-authentic covered bridges). / 44.237513; -73.232095 ( Spade Farm Covered Bridge)
