Babb’s Bridge, the landmark covered bridge over the Presumpscot River, is open again, about a month after an unidentified vehicle dislodged a key wooden support pole from the Windham entrance.

Based on evidence collected at the scene, the Windham Police Department determined that an automobile driver struck the bridge on Jan. 24 and left the scene without reporting it to officials. Windham police have not arrested or charged anyone in connection with the incident.

The Maine Department of Transportation subsequently closed the state-owned bridge, which connects Hurricane Road in Gorham and Covered Bridge Road in Windham, and set up detour signs at the intersections of both roads closest to the bridge in order to prevent non-residents from entering the rural area.

On Friday, Feb. 27, the department re-opened the bridge, following three days of repair work completed that week by department crews, according to Don McKenna, a bridge maintenance engineer for the department. The repairs cost approximately $5,500, McKenna said.

The hit-and-run dislodged one of the bridge’s structurally important vertical members – a tall wooden pole located on the left side of the Windham bridge entrance. The bridge’s 16 vertical members support the roof, which shields the wooden interior of the bridge from the elements. The crash also damaged nine decorative wooden interior boards. The department used rough-cut milled spruce lumber to replace the damaged vertical member and interior boards in order to match the rest of the spruce bridge, McKenna said.

According to McKenna, the bridge was never in danger of falling apart as a result of the hit-and-run. Department officials closed the bridge out of concern that another crash could cause more serious harm, he said.

“The structural damage was minimal,” McKenna said. “Their big concern was that if it took another hit, in that corner, until everything got reattached, then there might be a big issue.”

Windham Rep. Patrick Corey applauded the department’s quick response. He also expressed hope that the perpetrator would be caught.

“One of my biggest concerns is still that unless that person is apprehended the taxpayers are footing the bill to fix this,” Corey said.

Rob Hunt, the Windham detective in charge of the investigation, could not be reached for comment.

The 39-year-old bridge is one of nine covered bridges in the state. It was constructed in 1976 as a replica of the original Babb’s Bridge, which was built in 1864 and destroyed by arson in 1973.

Following the arson and much community outcry, the 106th Maine Legislature appropriated $75,000 for the Maine Department of Transportation to build the replica, on the condition that the towns of Windham and Gorham protected “the new bridge against vandalism and destruction by fire by adequate police protection, or insurance coverage, or a combination of both.”

If the bridge were destroyed by “fire, vandalism or otherwise,” the state would only replace it with a conventional steel or concrete bridge, according to the bill. Windham Public Works Director Doug Fortier said the bridge is not insured.

The interior of the bridge, including some of the boards damaged in the hit-and-run, is covered in graffiti. Last September, vandals poked holes on the edge of the shingled roof in the middle of the bridge. According to local officials, the holes’ size and location were no coincidence, given that the rope-swing next to the bridge has made the location a popular one.

According to Windham Historical Society Executive Director Linda Griffin, the second Babb’s Bridge was inaugurated on the nation’s bicentennial in 1976 when a fife-and-drum militia led a parade through it. The covered bridge is a popular tourist destination, she added.

Griffin said she had only seen photographs of the department’s work, but described it as “passable.” She said she had not been consulted about the repairs.

“I haven’t seen it up close but the pictures look fine,” she said.

The Department of Transportation re-opened Babb’s Bridge on Feb. 27. The state spent $5,500 on repairs during three days of work in late February.Photo courtesy of Gary Plummer