Residents pressed town officials on Monday to safeguard the Millers Run Covered Bridg
Residents pressed town officials on Monday to safeguard the Miller’s Run Covered Bridge. During the Town Meeting information session, some questioned why long-planned protections for the oft-struck bridge had not materialized. The Miller’s Run Covered Bridge has been struck repeatedly over the years, including at least twice this year. Bridge collisions are so common that the Select Board in 2021 approved plans to build overhead clearance barriers. The barriers would prevent tall vehicles that exceed the 11-foot-9 height limit from striking and damaging the bridge. Repairs typically run $1,100 per incident. However, construction of the barriers has been postponed indefinitely due to inflation and installation issues. The town has been unable to find a contractor willing to place the barriers, because of challenges posed by the surrounding terrain. Some in attendance on Monday expressed frustration that mitigation measures have been on hold for over two years. Lyndon resident Mark Beattie said, “It’s becoming increasingly embarrassing to read about this in the newspaper, particularly the tagline at the end of the articles that says that ‘They’ve been studying this for years.”