Bridgeport Covered Bridge
The Bridgeport Covered Bridge is located in Bridgeport, Nevada County, California, southwest of French Corral and north of Lake Wildwood. It is used as a pedestrian crossing over the South Yuba River. The bridge was built in 1862 by David John Wood. Its lumber came from Plum Valley in Sierra County, California. The bridge was closed to vehicular traffic in 1972 and pedestrian traffic in 2011 due to deferred maintenance and "structural problems".
Bridgeport Covered Bridge | |
|---|---|
View of the Bridgeport Covered Bridge | |
| Coordinates | 39°17′33.86″N 121°11′41.66″W |
| Carries | Pedestrian |
| Crosses | South Yuba River |
| Locale | Nevada County, California |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Howe truss with auxiliary arch covered bridge |
| Total length | 233 feet (71 m) |
| Longest span | 208 feet (63 m) |
| Load limit | 13 Tons (Current estimate at 3 tons due to age of timbers) |
| History | |
| Designer | David Ingefield Wood |
| Opened | 1862 |
Bridgeport Covered Bridge | |
| Nearest city | French Corral, CA |
| Built | 1862 |
| Architectural style | Howe truss with an auxiliary Burr Arch Truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000168 |
| CHISL No. | 390 |
| Added to NRHP | July 14, 1971 |
| Location | |
On June 20, 2014, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed budget legislation that included $1.3 million for the bridge's restoration. The work was slated to be done in two phases—near-term stabilization followed by restoration. The bridge reopened to pedestrians in November 2021 following completion of the restoration work.
The Bridgeport Covered Bridge has the longest clear single span of any surviving wooden covered bridge in the world.