Reconstruction of the 1940s-era Spellacy covered bridge—one of America’s largest at 300 ft long and 24 ft wide—had a small price tag of $9.5 million but delivered a big impact. The project adds four trusses, each about 168,000 lb, for new structural support that now extends by at least 125 years the life of a revered and much-visited historic icon in Ohio’s scenic Mohican River corridor.

The project team confronted a number of hurdles, including “use of complex materials, offline bridge construction and overcoming multiple drilling and geotechnical challenges,” says the submission. That included forced redesign of one segment, requiring a quick turnaround to maintain the critical path schedule. Complex logistics in fabrication and treatment of the structure’s glulam members in different states also mandated “meticulous coordination,” says the team. Use of cofferdams enabled the team to manage turbulent river conditions, which had caused excavation site flooding during construction.