Red Covered Bridge in Princeton to be stabilized in next few weeks, assessment ongoing

Temporary supports are being installed at the historic Red Covered Bridge in Princeton to ensure the existing damage to the structure doesn’t worsen or create additional issues.

Crews started the temporary repairs Monday, which are expected to take a few weeks, said Paul Wappel, public information officer at Illinois Department of Transportation. A full assessment of bridge repairs are not expected to be available for several months, Wappel said.

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An Illinois Department of Transportation crew begins temporary repairs on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, on the Red Covered Bridge in Princeton. The bridge was damaged when it was struck by a semi truck on Nov. 16. (Scott Anderson)

The department won’t have any recommendations on permanent repairs or restoration measures until a full assessment of the bridge is completed.”

—  Paul Wappel, public information officer at Illinois Department of Transportation

The Red Covered Bridge is off Route 26 about 1.5 miles north of the city. The bridge was damaged Nov. 16 when the driver of a semitrailer truck tried to pass through it, damaging the 149-foot structure and the semi.

“The supports will remain in place until permanent repairs can be made to the bridge, which will remain closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic,” Wappel said. “The department won’t have any recommendations on permanent repairs or restoration measures until a full assessment of the bridge is completed.”

Built in 1864 as part of the Galena Trail, it was the only IDOT-owned covered bridge open to traffic.

The one-lane bridge with a posted 5-ton weight limit, previously was damaged by a semi in April 2021 and was repaired in August the same year. The structure crosses Big Bureau Creek and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.