The Science Behind Michigan’s Covered Bridges is Astounding

For many there's something a bit magical about happening upon a covered bridge when you are travelling the roads of Michigan's back country. They harken back to another era and lend themselves to feelings of both nostalgia and romance - just flash back to the early 1990s Bridges of Madison County.

Some locations even build tourist destinations out of having a lot of covered bridges - Parke County, Indiana does.

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In Michigan, there are a few famous ones - likely the most prominent just north of Centreville in St Joseph County in the southern portion of the state. Known as the Langely Bridge, it's the longest in the state, crosses the St Joseph River and dates back to 1887.

And that longevity is part of what makes the science of covered bridges so astounding. The question came up on the Reddit Explain It Like I'm 5 subreddit asking what exactly is the point of a covered bridge. The answer proves just how asouting these structures are.

The main purpose was to protect the wooden bridge structure from the weather. These were mostly built before the modern era of road construction. It also somewhat reinforces the structure.

Also, it's structurally a lot easier to build a strong truss over the top of the bridge to support the weight. Modern bridges use a lot of steel to support everything from underneath, mainly to allow trucks with oversize loads.

To add to that, moisture destroys ALL highway infrastructure. Steel, asphalt, concrete, etc. Keeping it all dry can greatly extend the life of all of them.

The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered wooden bridges typically have a lifespan of only 20 years because of the effects of rain and sun, but a covered bridge can last over 100 years.

Extend the life of them to the extent that they can last for well over 100 years.

Here, however, is a oxymoronic thought:

Counter-intuitively, covered bridges were not built to keep snow off. In practice, they had to shovel snow onto the bridges in winter so horse-drawn sleighs would still work.

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Without horsedrawn vehicles, we don't need to worry about pushing snow into a covered bridge.

While the wooden deck of the bridge means they often have severe weight restrictions are off limits to modern heavy trucks, their longevity makes it obvious why they were once the dominant choice for bridgebuilding.

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Editor's Note: The bridge image that accompanies this article is found along the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive within Northwest Lower Michigan's Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.