The Bridgeport Covered Bridge, which reopened about a year and a half ago, is one 16 Preservation Design Award winners from around the state. The California Preservation Foundation recognizes such things as restoration, adaptive reuse, and rehabilitation. And Doug Moon, with the Save Our Bridge Committee, says there was also a lot of innovation in reviving the 161-year-old structure…

click to listen to Doug Moon

Moon says the design combines what’s called a Howe Truss with a Burr Arch….

click to listen to Doug Moon

And Moon says that also allows for a longer, more stable span. The wood had deteriorated over time, with significant damage from flooding in both 1971 and 1997. It was closed to visitors in 2011, due to compromised structural integrity.