After five years, covered bridge reopened

Posted by ChaddsFordLive on October 20, 2016

After being closed for nearly five years, the historic Speakman Covered Bridge over Buck Run on Frog Hollow Road in West Marlborough and East Fallowfield townships reopened on Thursday, Oct. 20.

The Speakman Covered Bridge reopens in West Marlborough and East Fallowfield townships.

The covered bridge, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was closed to traffic after sustaining severe structural damage from being struck by a large vehicle in November 2011. PennDOT has worked for the past 10 months on the $1.9 million project, a PennDOT press release said.

PennDOT’s contractor worked to rehabilitate the covered bridge’s sidewalls, roof and cross-timber support members, replace the support abutments, and remove two center piers. The contractor reused some materials as part of the project the release said.

Originally built in 1881, the Speakman Covered Bridge is 15 feet wide and 75 feet long. It carried an average of 337 vehicles a day prior to its closure. It is the third of three covered bridges in Chester County to be repaired through a $3,201,562 covered bridge improvement project.

Eastern Highway Specialists, Inc. of Wilmington, Del., served as the general contractor on the project, which financed with 100 percent federal funds, the release said. For more PennDOT information, visit www.penndot.gov.