Babb’s Bridge took another hit last Friday when an over-loaded dump truck plunged through the wooden planks and into the Presumpscot River. First built in 1840, the covered bridge that crosses the river dividing Gorham and Windham was rebuilt in 1973 after an arson fire destroyed the original structure.

According to Deputy Chief Michael Nault of the Gorham Police Department, the driver “was able to extricate himself from the truck and sustained minor injuries.” His truck, owned by The Driveway Guys, did not fare as well. It landed upside down in the water. The Portland Press Herald reported that workers from the Department of Transportation (DOT) used a wrecker to flip it over and move it away from the bridge, before pulling it up the riverbank and loading it onto a tow-truck. Gorham firefighters recovered debris from the river.

Meanwhile, Gorham police officers closed the road to traffic. Called Hurricane Road on the Gorham side and Covered Bridge Road on the Windham side, it is a convenient, well-traveled route between North Gorham Road and River Road, suitable for local drivers who know how to negotiate the narrow road and to watch out for summer swimmers.

Although the 3-ton load limit has been posted since 1983, the signage is not on the bridge, but on the corner of Hurricane and Wilson Road and may not be a sufficient warning to discourage heavier vehicles. It was later reported that the Maine State Police cited the driver, Joshua Polewarzyk, for “bridge violation causing damage to the bridge due to excessive weight.”

Rebuilt nearly 50 years ago to duplicate the original covered bridge, Babb’s Bridge is as much a cherished historical artifact as it is a way to get to get across the river. Paul Merrill, DOT spokesperson, told the Portland Press Herald that engineers will be coming from Augusta next week to assess the damage. “There are a lot of things to consider when we figure out the next steps,” he said.