Covered Bridges on Two Wheels
A photographic journey to Vermont's Covered Bridges
Bradley Bridge
Current Status: Open
Location: Lyndon, on Center Street
Crosses: Miller's Run
GPS: 44.542064N, 72.009976W
Built: 1995 Length: 59.5 feet
Truss Design: Queenpost
WGN*: VT-03-06#2 NRHP**: not eligible
* WGN: World Guide to Covered Bridges Number
**NRHP: Listed on National Register of Historic Places
The Bradley Bridge is located just north of Lyndon Center. Originally built in 1878, the bridge is more popularly known as the Miller's Run Bridge for the waterway it crosses. (Miller's Run is a tributary of the Passumpsic River which runs through Lyndon).
Bradley Bridge is the name used when the original bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1995 the bridge underwent a complete restoration at which time it was completely disassembled. To meet the demands of modern traffic, the span was rebuilt using steel I-beams to support the roadway. The wooden trusses only support the bridge itself (dead load), not any of the traffic going over it (live load).
It was reassembled, with a good portion of the timber requiring replacement. At the same time, a covered walkway was added. The steel guardrails that protect the approaches to the bridge were extended through the bridge on both sides. It has unusually tall queenpost trusses, making the bridge very large. It is also quite wide for a covered bridge. Considering the year in which it was constructed, these dimensions no doubt are to accommodate the size of modern vehicles.
While the changes made to the bridge alter the character of it, they were necessary in order to save the bridge from complete replacement. This bridge takes a pounding with almost constant traffic. A traditional covered bridge would not have been able to support the needs without being completely redesigned and beefed up, which would have sounded the death knell to a historic structure. While some purists may not like the idea of the bridge no longer being historically accurate, it is better than tearing it down altogether.
In August of 2014 a driver from Quebec took his tractor-trailer through the bridge, damaging it. He didn't stop, but was later identified and apprehended for leaving the scene of an accident.
Visiting the bridge:
On the northern end of the bridge is a public park-and-ride that offers good, safe access to the bridge. It is a short walk up a paved sidewalk.
As mentioned above, the bridge is a very busy one, and you may even have trouble taking pictures of it without a car also in the photo! Luckily, the walkway on the side of the bridge affords a safe way to cross so that you can visit both sides.