CARROLLTON, W.Va. — One of the most iconic bridges in West Virginia is undergoing a full restoration by the West Virginia Division of Highways (DOH).
DOH officials announced in the past week that work is underway to restore the historic Carrollton Covered Bridge in Barbour County.
The 166-year old bridge, the third oldest of 17 surviving covered bridge in West Virginia, was severely damaged by a fire in August 2017. The blaze, which was ruled arson, destroyed much of the outer covering of the bridge but left the basic structure mostly intact. No arrests have been made in the case, to date.
“All the wooden outer shell was damaged or destroyed. This is going to be a complete restoration to remove all the damaged members, clean what is salvageable, and repair it to its original condition,” District 7 Engineer Brian Cooper told MetroNews.
The DOH said contractors for Span 1, LLC are currently installing scaffolding and rigging to replace the bridge’s wooden siding and portions of the upper superstructure.
“We’re installing the scaffolding now. As soon as that is done we will have our crews go out and remove the damaged siding. We will pressure wash and clean the remainder of the structure and begin the restoration process,” Cooper said.
Cooper said the structure was able to reopen to traffic following the 2017 fire after minor repairs to the modern bridge superstructure to ensure the bridge was safe. He anticipated there may be an intermediate closure to traffic against during the restoration process.
Consultants Mead & Hunt, who have done extensive work on the Philippi Covered Bridge, determined what portions of the old wooden superstructure could be saved and installed temporary bracing to shore up the remains of the roof system, a release said.
The DOH further stated that Tiger Diversified LLC, in Upshur County, was awarded a contract in May 2021 to provide the timber for the restoration.
The bridge was built in 1856 by brothers Emmett and Daniel O’Brien and crosses the Buckhannon River near Carrollton. At 140 feet, it is one of the longest surviving covered bridges in West Virginia.
The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
Cooper said the work could be finished by the end of August.