A box truck crashed into the historic covered bridge in Long Grove, Ill., Wednesday afternoon, just two weeks after the bridge was made a historic landmark.
At 3:54 p.m., the truck struck the top of the covered bridge, according to local reports. The truck was driven by a 30-year-old Chicago man traveling east on Robert Parker Coffin Road. Witnesses told authorities that the truck did not stop as it drove into the bridge.
Authorities told local news outlets that the driver disobeyed signage leading up to the bridge, including a sign noting a 6,000-lb weight limit for vehicles. The truck was empty and weighed 15,000 lb.
Robert Parker Coffin Road has been closed in both directions in the area of the bridge. It is unknown when it will reopen. The extent of the damage to the bridge also is unknown, but village officials expect estimates to be given within the next few days.
A July 12 ceremony was scheduled to commemorate the bridge's addition to the National Register of Historic Places. It is unclear whether or not the event will be canceled in light of the crash damage.
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Source: Daily Herald
