COLUMBIANA COUNTY Repairs begin on shortest covered bridge

A donated security camera is to be put up at another historical structure.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
ELKTON -- The shortest covered bridge in the United States is receiving a face-lift.
Crews recently began stripping the weathered siding and roof from the Church Hill Road Covered Bridge as part of an effort to refurbish the 1870 structure.
"It needed some work," Columbiana County Engineer Bert Dawson said of the historical span.
The 19-foot-long bridge along state Route 154 in Elkrun Township, open to pedestrian traffic only, has the distinction of being the shortest such structure in the country.
Dawson said crews will replace the siding and the roof. Concrete also will be used to shore up the span's abutments.
The work, which wasn't publicized, caught some passers-by off guard. They called the engineer's office expressing concern that the bridge was being taken down, Dawson said.
There was no special reason why the job wasn't announced.
Estimated cost is between $5,000 and $10,000. It will take about two weeks to complete the work, Dawson said.
Money to pay for the undertaking will come from the county's road and bridge fund.
The Church Hill Road Bridge is one of four original covered bridges in the county.
It's the second historical bridge to be renovated recently.
Another bridge
Early this year, crews completed work on a $295,000 project to renovate the Teegarden Centennial Covered Bridge along Eagleton Road in Salem Township.
Just weeks after the renovation, an arsonist damaged the bridge. It has since been repaired.
Before the fire, security lights had been installed in hopes of preventing arson and vandalism.
A security camera is the next step, Dawson said.
A camera anonymously donated to the county will be put up later this summer, he added.
The donor was angry that someone would try to burn the bridge and wanted more done to help prevent it from happening again, Dawson explained.
leigh@vindy.com