It’s been 3 months since Knights Ferry Covered Bridge closed. What’s up with its renovation?
The recent onslaught of storms has not delayed the timeline for rehabilitation of the beloved historic Knights Ferry Covered Bridge.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which maintains and manages the bridge and the larger Knights Ferry Recreation Area, gave an update on progress since the closure of the popular Stanislaus County attraction at the end of December.
“Fortunately, the recent storms have not affected the repair process at Knights Ferry Covered Bridge,” said Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District spokesperson Ken Wright. “Our team continues to work to determine the extent of necessary repairs, and to move forward with a design that will ensure public safety and the preservation of the historic bridge so that it remains accessible for many years to come.”
The 159-year-old wooden bridge was closed and gated off to the public Dec. 30 after a structural analysis found that “significant” wood deterioration had compromised its stability. The discovered damage was not related to recent storms or record rainfall in the region.
The 330-foot span is the nation’s longest covered bridge west of the Mississippi River, and in 2012 was designated a national historic landmark.
The last major renovation to the bridge came in 1989, but it has been closed to the public for extended periods at other times throughout the years. The bridge was inaccessible in 2013 as part of an extended 16-day government shutdown.
The current bridge closure is indefinite, and work is still underway to determine the scope of repairs needed and to map out a timeline for its completion. The California State Historic Preservation Office has been consulted to ensure renovations do not interfere with the bridge’s status on the National Register of Historic Places.
“It will take some time to complete our evaluation and design of these repairs, as we are committed to ensuring all cultural, historic, environmental and structural requirements are met,” Wright said.
He also emphasized that while the cost of construction has not been finalized yet, once determined “it will not hinder us from pursuing funds to repair the bridge.”
Knights Ferry is the most visited recreation area in the Sacramento District of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, which operates nine other developed recreation areas along the Stanislaus River that stretches from the Sierra Nevada foothills to its confluence with the San Joaquin River.
The 10-park system saw about a million visitors a year, with the Knights Ferry Recreation Area recording 190,000 vehicle entries last year, though per-car visitor counts were not available.
Other recreation in the area has not been limited, but the bridge remains gated off. Visitors can still cross the river using the Sonora Road Bridge, which is open to cars and pedestrians about 900 feet west of the Knights Ferry Covered Bridge.
