Red Covered Bridge, Princeton Illinois
- Categories:
- Illinois
- Covered Bridges
- Howe Truss
Unfortunately, this bridge was severely damaged on November 16th, 2023, when a 18 wheeler truck driver ignored multiple signs and tried to drive across it.
The Red Covered Bridge is the only covered bridge in this area and is a good example of early bridge construction in northern Illinois. The bridge was constructed by Bureau County in 1863 at a cost of $3,148.57. ($1,000 was paid by Bureau County, $600.00 by Dover Township, and $1,548.57 by public subscription.) A sign on each end advises everyone of the rules governing the use of the facility. "Five dollars fine for driving more than 12 horses, mules, or cattle at any time or for leading any beast faster than a walk on or across this bridge."
The Red Covered Bridge consists of one main span of 95 feet and two approaches of 36 and 18 feet constructed on masonry piers. The vertical clearance is 12 feet; the horizontal clearance is 15 feet 6 inches. The main span is comprised of ten Howe truss panels covered by wooden plank siding.
The Red Covered Bridge is a good example of early bridge construction in northern Illinois. The covered span is 96 feet, has a 15' 6" roadway and a 12' vertical clearance, and is a timber Howe truss. The main beams in the truss consist of two beams made up of four 6" x 12" timbers with 6" x 6" diagonal bracing. The floor beams are 3" x 12" planks standing of edge. Rough hewn 3" x 12" longitudinal planking constitute the riding surface. The bearing is on two stone piers, 5 feet wide at the bottom and 3 feet wide at the top, resting on concrete footings. The northern approach is a 36' uncovered span. It has seven 15" I-beam stringers with planked flooring. The south approach is 18 feet long on five 10" I-beams on 30" centers with the outside members being 10" channels. This span also has a plank decking. Both approach spans, but not the main span, have 30" tread plates for single-lane traffic.
The structure's condition is good considering its age. In 1967 the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Highways, expended $710 in the repair of the structure cause by a farmer's dump truck hoist accidentally raising. The impact tore out the entire front of the south portal, damaged three horizontal tension rods of the Howe truss, and caused damage to cross bracing a distance of ten feet into the bridge. Sixty-year-old white pine trees planted by former Governor Lowden were logged and sawed at the Sinnissippi Forest at Oregon, Illinois for replacement material. The original Eastern White Pine is thought to have come from Wisconsin.
Although approximately $3000 was expended over the intervening years for minor maintenance, more extensive repairs have also been necessary. In 1965, the Department expended $5,739 for repair of the piers and in 1973, invested $19,600 in the replacement of the roof and planking. At this time, the original longitudinal planking was replaced by diagonally placed planking of Southern Yellow Pine. In 1974, rip rap was placed on the northeast bank where damage had occurred during the 1973 flood and a weir-type dam of sheet piling and quarry run rock was placed approximately 100 feet downstream to limit erosive action near the piers. This latter work cost $92,780.
