Jackson Covered Bridge Over Sugar Creek
Parke County, IN
Due to deterioration of the truss, the existing Jackson Covered Bridge built in 1861 had a weight limit of five tons. It also had a significant bow due to inadequate cross bracing. The timber floor beams and stringers were replaced in a previous rehabilitation in 1974 but could only support five tons.
The bridge reconstruction replaced the stringers and floor beams with glue-laminated members, replaced the majority of the upper and lower chord (which had rotted) with glue-laminated members, and added new timber cross bracing and steel tie rods to the lower chords of the trusses to stiffen the bridge. In order to easily replace the rotten truss member and straighten the bridge, the bridge was moved off its abutments on to the north approach. Completing the project, the timber deck, siding, and roof were also replaced. The new load capacity of the bridge was increased to 13 tons.
Bridge Facts:
- Structure Type: timber covered – burr arch truss
- Number of Spans: 1 span
- Bridge Length: 208′ O-O deck, 224′ end portal – end portal
- Bridge Width: 15′-3″ clear roadway (one lane)
