No injuries to the driver of a full-sized semi-tractor trailer who crossed the old wooden Red Covered Bridge in Bureau County a little after 7:00 am but the results were catastrophic.
Princeton City Clerk Pete Nelson said the main damage was caused not so much by the weight of the truck but by its height.
The bridge was nearly demolished, suffering severe damage to the roof and entry and exit points. He said there is a real possibility the bridge might be permanently taken out of service. Authorities were notified immediately. It’s not sure if the driver of the semi notified them or witnesses or someone who happened by afterward.
The 149-foot-long bridge, built the same year the Emancipation Proclamation was signed cost $3,148.57 to construct and was once part of the Peoria-Galena Trail, crossing over Big Bureau Creek in Dover Township.
IDOT oversees the maintenance of the bridge. The State of Illinois owns the bridge. Illinois State Police are investigating.