Crash barriers will be installed

Crash barriers will be installed on either side of Miller’s Run Covered Bridge before Christmas. Supply chain issues had slowed the construction of the barriers, but expected they would be completed ahead of the winter solstice.

Once materials are delivered, the barriers will be assembled by the Lyndon Institute welding program. The footings and foundations

were installed last month by Techno Metal Post of Montpelier.

The estimated $60,000 project will be paid for through a combination of voter-approved funds and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money. The steel barriers were conceived two and a half years ago to prevent vehicles that exceed the 11-foot-9 height limit from hitting the historic 146-year-old span.

The bridge has repeatedly been struck over the years, including at least four times in 2023.  The barriers would continue town efforts to protect the Miller’s Run Covered Bridge, also known as the Bradley Covered Bridge, which dates back to 1878. Plans to add surveillance cameras to capture offenders’ license plates have also been considered.