Canyon, or Gristmill Bridge [WGN 45-08-01] Photo by Joe Nelson, December, 1996

Jeffersonville, April 27, 2004 - Rehabilitation work began on the Canyon Covered Bridge off Route 108 in Jeffersonville on Monday, April 26. The contractors are Blow and Cote Construction of Morrisville, Vt.
       The 97-foot Canyon Bridge [WGN 45-08-01], also known as the Gristmill Bridge, the Scott Bridge, and as the Alden Bryan Bridge, crosses the Brewster River just above the Brewster River canyon. The bridge is constructed with a Burr Truss. The date it was built is unrecorded, however a good guess would be circa 1870. The name of the builder is unknown.
       The contractors are planning to move the bridge off of the river and onto Canyon Road to better facilitate work on the bridge's lower chords. Inspection has discovered rotational cracks on the inside center members of the chords of both trusses, said Nathan Cote, foreman on the project.
       The siding, roof system and bridge deck, or roadway, will be removed and the two trusses will be lifted by crane to lay flat to allow the chords to be disassembled for replacement of the failing members. In addition to the cracked chord members, it was found that in the past, rotted chord ends had been sawed off and patched, These areas will be redone, Cote said.
       The plan calls for retention of all serviceable original fabric as was done on Montgomery's Comstock Bridge last season. Everyone was pleased with the work done there, Cote recalled.

Canyon Bridge rehab progress, second day. The upstream siding has been removed and the stripping of the roof sheathing begun. Photo by Joe Nelson, April 27, 2004	Removal of the old metal roof reveals even older wooden shingles. Photo by Joe Nelson, April 27, 2004

View from east portal. The running planks are being removed in preparation to taking up the bridge deck and floor timbers. All serviceable timbers will be retained. Photo by Joe Nelson, April 27, 2004	View of the east abutment. Broken stone and voids were found by the inspection team. It was recommended that a stone mason repair and "re-chink" it in the old way, without the use of mortar. Photo by Joe Nelson, April 27, 2004