Parke County covered bridge shut down after damaged for 2nd time this year

ANNAPOLIS, Ind. (WISH) — A Parke County covered bridge has been shut down after being damaged by a box truck for at least the second time this year.

The Parke County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were notified Thursday of a property damage accident at the Jackson Bridge over Sugar Creek. It 2-1/2 miles northwest of the community of Annapolis in northern Parke County.

The sheriff’s report did not say when the accident occurred, but deputies said a box truck traveling south on B’Dale Road entered the bridge. The Parke County Highway Department determined the truck was too high for the bridge and 14 braces were damaged.

The driver was cited for multiple violations, the sheriff’s office said, but did not provide details.

On April 17, the sheriff’s office reported, a large box truck hit the bridge and broke two overhead supports. That vehicle, described as a large box truck with green striping on the rear of the box, then backed out of the bridge and left the area.

The Parke County Convention & Visitors Commission hosts an annual festival in October to celebrate the many covered bridges in the area. The commission says the Jackson Bridge has an 18-foot clearance. The bridge was built in 1861 and restored in 1977 for $75,000.