After overcoming funding challenges and cost escalations that slowed the project for years, restoration of the Bridgeport Covered Bridge will be delayed for at least a few more months. It was hoped the bridge would reopen by spring or summer. But Matt Green, the Acting Sierra District Superintendent for the California State Parks Department, says there was always a concern about what would be found inside the 158-year-old structure during the deconstruction process…

The current one-year construction contract expires on March 27th. Green says no completion date is currently available, but it’ll likely be some time late in the year…

That includes continued closure of the South Yuba River State Park parking lot. The bridge was closed in 2011, due to safety concerns.