LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — The iconic Bitzer's Mill Covered Bridge in West Earl Township remains closed, just over one week after a tractor-trailer got stuck and tried to maneuver its way out.
Bitzer's Mill is the oldest of Lancaster County's covered bridges that are still in use.
"It was built in 1846, so it’s got a lot of history to it," said Joel Cliff, director of communications and advocacy for Discover Lancaster.
The incident happened on November 20, when West Earl Township Police say the driver tried to get their more-than-13-feet-high truck through the bridge, which has a clearly marked height restriction of 10 feet, 6 inches.
“Understanding those signs is basic knowledge so it really shouldn’t happen," said Neil Stoltzfus, roadmaster for West Earl Township. "That sign that says 10' 6" is as big as I am.”
Charges are pending against the driver, who police say is from Georgia.
The damaged bridge remains closed, as the focus turns to fixing and preserving it.
“It’s a heavily traveled road, there’s lots of traffic there throughout the year, and this time of year with winter weather, hopefully, we have it open sooner than later," said Stoltzfus.
PennDOT says it could take a while for the bridge to be fully repaired.
Fortunately, an inspection showed no damage to the bridge deck, just to the upper supports.
The state is confident the bridge will be fixed in 2024, but how far into the year is not known at this time, according to David Thompson, community relations coordinator for PennDOT District 8.
“Getting the materials is probably one of the big drivers of when the bridge can be repaired," he explained.
PennDOT agrees preserving the bridge’s historic integrity is a top priority, but Thompson says doing so has its challenges.
“We have to use the same materials that the bridge was built with," he said. "The timbers have to be the same material.”
Until then, drivers should plan for the current detour to remain in place for several months.
The detour uses Farmersville Road (Route 1010), Route 322 and Pleasant Valley Road.
“It’s a headache for everybody," said Thompson. "It’s a headache for the folks who have to repair it, the folks impacted by the bridge and the person who hits it as well.”
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