Utica Covered Bridge

The Devilbiss Road Covered Bridge (now called the Utica Covered Bridge), was built in 1834 over the Monocacy River. The bridge was a two span Burr Arch Truss bridge, with a total length of about 250 feet.

The bridge was washed away during a devastating flood in 1889. One of the spans was salvaged, dismantled, and saved. In 1891, the bridge was reconstructed at its current location and was renamed the Utica Mills Covered Bridge. In 1934, the bridge was reinforced with steel beams, and a central pier was added to improve stability.

The bridge was damaged in 1993, when an oversized truck damaged the support beam. It was subsequently discovered that termites and post beetles had done significant damage to the timbers. This prompted a rehabilitation project, which began in December of 1996. This project included replacing the steel beams, which had corroded significantly. It reopened in 1997.  

The bridge was damaged by another truck in June 2006. The roof beam, braces, and siding on the west portal were destroyed. The bridge was closed and repaired. It reopened 3 weeks later. It was rehabilitated in 2015. This project included installing interior fire retardant, repainting the exterior, adding a fire alarm system, replacing the roof and rafters, and placing riprap around the center support.

The bridge was damaged again in June of 2021 when an oversized truck damaged many of the beams. The beams were replaced and the bridge was repainted. Low clearance warning bars have since been added on either side of the bridge to prevent oversize trucks from accessing it.