Bath Covered Bridge Closed

 

Bath, NH, December 16, 2006 - The Covered Bridge crossing the Ammonoosuc River at the Village of Bath, New Hampshire, has been closed to traffic by order of the Department of Transportation.

The bridge, WGN 29-05-03, was undergoing inspection by a team of DOT engineers when their findings called for immediate closure. The Town of Bath, owner of the bridge, had plans in the works for making repairs and has been raising funds.

Bath Bridge was built in 1832 in four spans using the Burr Truss. It is 374-feet, six inches long with spans measuring 117'6", 66'6", 62'6", and 80' in a single lane. It is posted for six tons, no trucks.

The current span is the fifth on this site. The first, built in 1794, was lost to a flood and replaced in 1806. The second and third bridges were also lost to floods and replaced in 1820 and 1824. The fourth bridge was burned in 1830. The last bridge was completed in 1832 at a cost of $2,900.

To read about the closure of the Bath Bridge, see www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Covered+bridge+over+Ammonoosuc+closed&articleId=87ff5ecb-4479-41bb-837e-9f4bf1be3303