THETFORD — For the second time in nine months, Sayre’s Covered Bridge in Thetford was damaged by a driver toting a load that surpassed the height limit of the bridge, which spans the Ompompanoosuc River.
The crash took place last Friday at 3:22 p.m., according to a news release from the Thetford Police Department.
The truck, which was traveling north on Tucker Hill Road, was identified as a white Freightliner that was pulling a flatbed holding a single wooden crate.
The cargo is what caused the damage to three boards that cross the bridge’s roof, said interim police chief Michael Scruggs.
There was no structural damage done to the bridge and it remains open.
“If that item was not on the back of the trailer there would be no impact,” Scruggs said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. “It’s a very narrow spot of contact as opposed to being across the top of a box or something.”
The driver did not stop, however, and now police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the driver or the vehicle.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Thetford Police Department at 802-785-2200.
The crash comes months after five boards were repaired following an April 23 accident caused by an over-height truck. After the boards were repaired, additional signs were added to both sides of the bridge warning about the height limit.
“As you turn off from Route 113 or 132, there’s a sign that warns of the height of the bridge,” Scruggs said. “It is very well marked.”
Scruggs points to two reasons that the bridge continues to be damaged: It is a major connector to the west side of town, and drivers often follow digital maps without paying as close attention to road signs.
— Liz Sauchelli