Project Updates
June 12, 2019
HISTORIC COVERED BRIDGE RESTORATION HAS BEGUN
Mobilization by Spectra Contractors of Pomona, California, have begun installing fencing, office trailers and equipment in preparation for a major renovation of the historic covered bridge at South Yuba River State ParkBridgeport in Penn Valley, California.
Built in 1862, the bridge has undergone other renovations and repairs with this being a major undertaking. Once the project is completed, expected in the fall of 2020, it will be eighteen inches higher with new shingles, sidings, floor planking, interior trusses and steel tension rods.
Progress photos will develop on a daily basis with eventual aerial drone coverage and You Tube stories at this page(See Restoration Progress - June, 2019).
The South parking lot is closed during the project, however the North parking remains available for public use.
The Visitor Center, Barn and Gas Station will remain open as well as weekend gold panning and beach access.
For more information, please call 530-432-2546.
January 7, 2019
The reconstruction project on the Bridgeport Covered Bridge is moving forward. A construction contract was awarded to Spectra Company in the fall of 2018. The total project cost is $6.9 million. Spectra Company will begin mobilizing materials and equipment this spring in preparation of starting construction in late spring or early summer, once water levels are safe. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.
A new website has been created by DPR staff for the Project. It is quite extensive and has a lot of the plans, history, drawings and reports related to the Project. It is available for anyone to access.
Bridgeport Covered Bridge Rehabilitation & Restoration
Bridgeport Covered Bridge Rehabilitation & Restoration
RECAP: August 2021
Submitted by John Field
STRUCTURAL WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED
At sunset on August 31, 2021, Spectra Historic Construction completed their final cleanup and demobilization of the construction site at South Yuba River State Park-Bridgeport. The month of August was packed with great accomplishments and adversities. The adversities were attributed to the severe smoke pollution caused by several fires in Northern California. There were a few days when the air quality index was so severe that the carpenters were forced to suspend work. Progress forged ahead (despite the delays) to complete the entire structural construction of the wooden bridge. To enhance the occasion, the carpenters enjoyed a century-old tradition to celebrate completion of the timber structure by attaching a softwood bough to the rafter top and baptize the same with rum. One of the more well-known timber traditions involves nailing a bough or small evergreen tree to the highest point of the timber frame. The celebration is known as “Topping Out” with a “Wetting Bush”.
(Photos of the carpenters atop the highest point in celebration are available within both our YouTube and Progress Photos and Videos Folders.)
Hardscape and Landscape work consisted of the addition of ADA parking spaces, security bollards, safety rails at each portal, smoothing and compaction of the portal approaches, and removal of the construction fencing. The only remaining task is the installation of the roof shakes by a roofing contractor.
This recap is a mere abbreviation of the work and complexities involved. For comprehensive detail, you can view the installation process in assorted Photo and Video formats in the August 2021 folder found on this website by clicking on the Ongoing Progress Photos and Videos button directly below this text.
Month 27 Completed.
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The many photos and videos available will give you a complete tour of the process including Monthly YouTube recap presentations created as a compilation (by Herb Lindberg) of the ongoing photos and videos.
Also, Monthly Slide Shows compiled from all the monthly progress photos and videos are available.
Below, you will see various buttons to click on to access your choice of monthly YouTube Recaps, monthly Slide Shows, and separate monthly Folders including activities dating back to June of 2019. Also, photos and videos of the current month’s activities are shown below the monthly folders. Comments and descriptions accompany the photos and videos as usual.
Special thanks go out to Bridgewright Will Truax and Inspector John Rebenstorff for their contributions to our archival collection of photos and videos throughout the entire project.
We will continue to update through completion of the roofing project ...
Be Safe and Stay Well...
Restoration Ongoing Progress
Ongoing Progress Photos/Videos...
Monthly Progress Slideshows...
YouTube Monthly Recap Videos...
To see the August 2021, part 1, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the August 2021, part 2, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the July 2021, part 1, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the July 2021, part 2, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the June 2021, part 1, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the June 2021, part 2, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the May 2021, part 1, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the May 2021, part 2, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the April 2021, part 1, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the April 2021, part 2, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the March 2021, part 1, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the March 2021, part 2, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the February 2021, part 1, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the February 2021, part 2, bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the January 2021bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the December 2020 bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see the November 2020bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see part 1 of October 2020 bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see part 2 of October 2020 bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see September2020 bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see August 2020 bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see July 2020 bridge progress video part 1 of 2, click on the image below.
To see July 2020 bridge progress video part 2 of 2, click on the image below.
To see June 2020 bridge progress video part 1 of 2, click on the image below.
To see June2020 bridge progress video part 2 of 2, click on the image below.
To see May 2020 bridge progress video, click on the image below.
To see April 2020 bridge progress video part 1 of 2, click on the image below.
To see April 2020 bridge progress video part 2 of 2, click on the image below.
To see March 2020 bridge progress, click on the image below.
To see February 2020 bridge progress, click on the image below.
To see January 2020 bridge progress, click on the image below.
To see a 7-minute video on construction of the (stabilization) cradles in 2014, click on the image below.
To see a short summary of the progress made in 2019, click on the image below.
To see a video of the December 2019 bridge restoration progress, click on the image below.
To see a video of the November 2019 bridge restoration progress, click on the image below.
To see a video of the October 2019 bridge restoration progress, click on the image below.
To see a video of the September 2019 bridge restoration progress, click on the image below.
To see a video of the August 2019 bridge restoration progress, click on the image below.
To see a video of the July 1 to 31 2019 bridge restoration progress, click on the image below.
To see a video of the June 12 to 28 2019 bridge restoration progress, click on the image below.
Preparation For Bridge Restoration - April, 2015
Phase2 - Stabilization Photos...
Phase 1 Bridge Stabilization - September, 2014
PLEASE NOTE: EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT INDICATED OTHERWISE, ALL RIGHTS, TITLE AND INTEREST, INCLUDING COPYRIGHT, IN AND TO ALL PHOTOS, VIDEOS AND OTHER MEDIA CONTENT FOUND ON THIS PART OF THIS WEBSITE CREATED BY STATE PARKS’ VOLUNTEERS OR STATE PARKS’ STAFF BELONG TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION.