Century-old covered bridge closed, and residents blame neglect

People living in communities around the Tantramar Marsh are growing concerned about the future of a covered bridge in the area.

The Wheaton Bridge on the High Marsh Road was built in 1916 and was still regularly used by residents.

But earlier this month barricades were put up and detours put in place.

The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure says structural issues were found during a recent inspection.

"DTI bridge staff are still conducting further evaluation of the bridge and there is currently no timeline for its reopening," wrote a departmental spokesperson in an email to CBC News.

Information Morning - Moncton7:09​Covered bridge closure

​Another of New Brunswick's iconic covered bridges has closed to traffic, for now. Khalil Akhtar visited the Wheaton Bridge on the Isthmus of Chignecto, and spoke to Thaddeus Holownia, an artist who lives and works in Jolicure, near Sackville.

Jolicure resident Thaddeus Holownia said the province hasn't paid much attention to the bridge in recent years.

"It's been decades since anything's happened here," said Holownia. 

"Aren't these heritage buildings around the province? Isn't this a major tourism attraction, that people come and go through all the covered bridges in New Brunswick?"

Holownia said the bridge is often the most "direct" route for people in the area.

He's also concerned about what the closure will mean for farmers in the area who rely on the bridge to transport hay and other crops.

Only 58 covered bridges remain

Back in the 1950s, New Brunswick had 340 covered bridges. 

Now, only 58 of the iconic structures remain.

The state of New Brunswick's famed covered bridges is "bleak," according to one conservation group.

Ray Boucher, the Covered Bridges Conservation Association president, said if preserved correctly, the structures can outlast concrete and steel bridges, but there hasn't always been the political will to do so.

Information Morning - Moncton8:37Covered bridges

​As a well-used covered bridge closes to traffic on the Tantramar Marsh, we​ check in with the Covered Bridges Conservation Association​, and ask, are New Brunswick's covered bridges getting the care they need?​ Our summer host Khalil Akhtar spoke to Ray Boucher​,​ president of the association.

"The history of covered bridges in New Brunswick is poor in that they've been neglected," said Boucher.

"They would rather see the bridge sort of fall apart and disappear so that they can put up their new steel and concrete [bridges]." 

Boucher said covered bridges are most at risk of damage at their abutments, where the bridge is connected to the ground.

Some covered bridges in Europe date back over 400 years, he said — evidence that they can last if properly maintained.