Once there were hundreds of them. Now New Brunswick’s covered bridges have dwindled to 58.
Most were built from the late 1800s to the 1950s and feature unique architectural designs. The Covered Bridge Conservation Association of New Brunswick is advocating for the preservation of these bridges. It says these bridges are far more than instruments of transportation.
“They’re also tourism draws and they have historical significance,” said Patrick Toth, association vice president.
“Anytime a bridge is in danger, or it’s closed because it fails inspection, we lobby the province, through the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, to get it fixed rather than replacing it with something modern. We have had several successes and a couple of failures,” Toth said.
The former Progressive Conservative government launched a review of New Brunswick’s network of covered bridges to ensure these assets are effectively managed to provide maximum value to the province according to a news release issued at the time. It was done in January 2019.
The former government described these bridges as important transportation links and a reminder of New Brunswick’s rich cultural history. It said it recognized the importance of taking a practical and responsible approach to maintenance and preservation.
These bridges can last well over a century and easily outlast more modern bridges if properly maintained, according to Toth and association president, Ray Boucher.
Charlotte County’s covered bridges are in various conditions. The covered bridge at Flume Ridge recently underwent a restoration.
Meanwhile, the Canal Bridge, just outside St. George, is in bad shape as is the Dumbarton Bridge near Rolling Dam, the association said.
Periodic maintenance and repairs are necessary to protect wooden trusses and decking, Boucher and Toth said.
Major repairs were done on the Maxwell Crossing bridge at Old Ridge just outside St. Stephen in 2013 after it was damaged by a vehicle.
“The province was considering replacing it with a modern steel bridge and we lobbied against that and got our MLA involved and they restored it,” Toth said.
A new double-lane covered bridge opened in St. Martins in 2022. With the completion of the Fundy Parkway, it was determined the former covered bridge was inadequate for the traffic it was going to receive.
“DTI had proposed doing a modern steel and concrete bridge and covering it with a wooden roof. Our association pointed out that was fake. So, we lobbied for an authentic covered bridge and that’s what they built. It’s huge and it’s beautiful,” Toth said.
Boucher said he’s regularly contacted by people around the world asking about tour opportunities to see every covered bridge in the province.
“When they’re travelling to see them, they’re spending money for gas, food, and accommodations,” Boucher said.
The association is asking everyone who cares about the remaining covered bridges to lobby the provincial government.
“It needs to be loud enough for DTI to hear because it seems like an uphill battle. It depends on who’s in government at the time. We had a former DTI Minister tell us New Brunswick is no longer in the timber bridge business. During his term two covered bridges in the province were torn down,” Toth recalls.
This will happen to other covered bridges unless people speak up, he said. The association is asking for more people to get involved and demand the provincial government protect these historic structures. That’s happening in Tantramar where 1,000 people have signed a petition to keep the covered bridge there.
On Dec. 15, The Courier asked DTI if any bridges in Charlotte County are slated for repair or restoration work and, if so, when. It was also asked to confirm what number of covered bridges were repaired by DTI in New Brunswick from 2018 to October 2024. That information wasn’t made available by the Dec. 20 publication time.
To learn more or get involved, you may contact the Covered Bridges Conservation Association of New Brunswick through its Facebook page.
Laverne Stewart has spent her entire career as a writer, journalist, and communications professional.She’s won multiple literary and journalism awards for her work. After a year in radio, she made the move to TV news, spending 11 years with CTV in Halifax, Saint John, and Fredericton. Stewart has also worked in government communications, most recently in the Office of the Premier. Stewart is a published author and now works on feature stories from her community and beyond. Her life is full and happy thanks to the people who are in it. She is married to her husband Robert. She is mother to Mary Louise and Nicolas. Also included in her family is Sally, a Labrador retriever, and three cats; Dusty, Joe, and Clancy. She can be reached at lavernestewart24@outlook.com.
