There are no plans to replace the Millers Run Covered Bridge

There are no plans to replace the Miller’s Run Covered Bridge with something more practical. Addressing the Select Board on Monday, longtime resident Joe Buzzi recommended the quaint, wooden, one-lane covered bridge be retired. He said the bridge was a traffic hazard and pointed to the number of oversized vehicles that strike the bridge each year despite signage in both directions. Buzzi suggested that Center Street be rerouted and a modern concrete-and-steel bridge is built — one with two lanes and no obstructions to tall trucks or fire/EMS apparatus. Meanwhile, he said, the Miller’s Run Covered Bridge could be preserved as a pedestrian crossing, historic site, or community venue. It is unclear if or when the town would pursue such an ambitious project. Re-routing Center Street to the west for a new river crossing over Millers Brook would require portions of privately owned land and the expense to build a new bridge would run seven figures. The Miller’s Run Covered Bridge has been struck repeatedly over the years, including at least four times last year. Bridge collisions are so common that the Select Board in 2021 approved plans to build overhead clearance barriers. However, construction of the barriers has been postponed indefinitely due to spiraling cost estimates. Plans to add surveillance cameras to capture offenders’ license plates have also been considered.