The Sanborn Covered Bridge was removed from its perch over the Passumpsic River

 The Sanborn Covered Bridge was removed from its perch over the Passumpsic River this month as part of a grant-funded $2.2 million renovation project. Original plans called for the bridge to be refurbished and put back where it was. Now, that’s uncertain. A recent report by engineering firm SLR International of Waterbury evaluated more than a dozen flood control projects for downtown Lyndon and found that the top choice was to permanently remove the Sanborn Covered Bridge and restore the flood plain on its south side. According to the report, that option would reduce 500-year flood levels by a foot at the neighboring intersection and by seven inches at the nearby Riverview Estates mobile home park. The Hazard Mitigation Committee met,  at Vermont State University’s to review SLR’s recommendations and select “two or three” flood control projects for a full cost-benefit analysis with an eye toward implementation.