HARTFORD, Vt. (AP) — Another Vermont bridge that has been closed since being damaged by flooding from Tropical Storm Irene two years ago has officially reopened.
The Taftsville Covered Bridge reopened with a celebration Saturday, restoring a link between four towns. The 189-foot bridge is the secondlongest covered bridge in Vermont and one of the oldest, built in 1836.
The Taftsville bridge crosses the Ottauquechee River and serves as is an important link for the towns of Hartland, Woodstock, Hartford and Pomfret.
“We celebrate making our community whole again,” said Rep. Alison Clarkson, of Woodstock, as representatives from the four towns helped snip the ceremonial ribbon.
Scott Newman, the Agency of Transportation’s historic preservation officer, told the Rutland Herald that the bridge is the final one of Vermont’s covered bridges damaged by Irene to be restored, although a few may still need minor repairs.
Hundreds of people posed for a group portrait on the Route 4 side of the red bridge. Later, a parade of different modes of transportation — including horseback and horse-drawn wagon to a fleet of antique cars and trucks — made the first trip across the rebuilt bridge.
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