Concern mounts as tourism season approaches
By James Ness
The world’s longest covered bridge in Hartland remains closed indefinitely, and concern is mounting with the fast-approaching 2025 tourism season.
The 1,282-foot-long (391-metre) structure is a popular destination for tourists, with visiting tour buses, vehicles, and cyclists being a common sight in the town of less than 1,000.
However, with age comes wear and tear, and the frequency of closures of the 124-year-old bridge has increased over time. With no set completion date for repairs to trusses, roof, and steel supports, the closure, now in its fourth month, has become the longest in the memory of many locals.
The current issues were caused by ice floes building up pressure against steel jacks installed to deal with other ongoing repairs. These jacks needed to be removed, and now the bridge, while not in any imminent danger of collapse, cannot be reopened for traffic until the safety mechanisms are back in place.
The New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DTI) has not provided a timeline for reopening. A recent CBC News report noted that DTI officials said work will continue throughout 2025.
“We have heard nothing from the Department of Transportation,” said Hartland Mayor Tracey DeMerchant regarding a timeline for the bridge’s reopening. “There is a second bridge, but with extra fuel and gas prices… we are hoping it’ll be open by the summer,” she said, adding that this was the longest closure she could remember.
“We are seeing more concern in customers,” said Kali Ketch, a supervisor at Hartland Freshmart, whose front doors are mere metres from the covered bridge. “They are asking when it’s going to be open, how long it’s going to be closed for, but we don’t know at all.”
Ketch noted that she hadn’t noticed less business than usual for the time being.
Kimberlee Brake, who lives a few hundred metres from the bridge on the opposite side of the St. John River, said she isn’t quite inconvenienced yet.
“It’s a little annoying to have to drive up (to the other bridge) and around, but it’s fine, for now. But how long will this last? The bridge is an important part of our community.”
The River Valley Sun contacted DTI about this story but has not yet received a response.
The Hartland Covered Bridge was officially opened in 1901; however, the first person to cross the bridge happened months before. An emergency on the opposite side of the river caused workers to place planks down on the bridge so the local doctor could cross on his buggy.
It was designated a National Historic Site in 1977 and named a Provincial Historic Site in 1999. In 2023, a “downward bend” was found in a structural survey, causing a temporary closure. The bridge reopened in December of that year but with load-limit reductions.
