Scribner Covered Bridge Update

WGN 45-08-07

 

November 7, 2020 - It's been a year since the "Halloween Storm of 2019". Unfortunately, the Scribner Covered Bridge is still out of commission.

VCBS member Peter Cosgrove had let us know that the Scribner Covered Bridge in East Johnson was out of service. The roadway leading up to the bridge was washed out in the "Halloween rainstorm" that happened October 31 thru November 1, 2019.

Peter has gone thru the selectboard minutes from July 20, 2020 and provided the following summary:

Progress has been slowed due to the Corona virus pandemic. FEMA was prohibited from doing site visits until recently. The selectboard is asking for funding for an engineering study on Scribner Bridge so they can apply for a construction grant for repairs, particularly on the abutment area. It appears that the town is going forward to address this issue.

According to a Vermont Business Magazine article dated November 25, 2019, "The US Department of Transportation has approved $500,000 in emergency relief funding following the Halloween rainstorm that left widespread damage throughout Vermont. These emergency funds will assist the Vermont Agency of Transportation in repairs to roads on the federal highway system damaged during the October 31 - November 1 storm event."

Here is the link to the full article and pictures: Vermont gets $500,000 for Halloween storm relief.

According to multiple sources, the Vermont Agency of Transportation has received $9.7 million from the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief Program this past September. The bulk of the funding will be used towards damage caused by the Halloween 2019 rain storm. Hopefully some of these funds will be used to repair the damage to the roadway leading to the Scribner Bridge.

The Scribner Covered Bridge (45-08-09), on Rocky Road in East Johnson, was built in 1919. The single-span, 48 foot long modified Queenpost bridge was built to cross the Gihon River.