Once upon a time, Maine could claim that more than 120 covered bridges dotted its landscape. Last week, the headcount was nine. Now, there are eight and a half. That’s because, despite posted signs, the driver of an overweight vehicle decided to cross one. He didn’t make it. Not even halfway. Instead, the bridge bottomed out, sending the driver, truck, and cargo plummeting into the water below.
Babb’s Bridge in Gorham, Maine, has the oldest history of the state’s remaining covered bridges, one that dates back to 1840. The wooden bridge also has a weight limit of three tons. The driver behind the wheel of a Ford F-750 thought he could make it, but alas—those trucks can be over 9,000 pounds empty, and depending on what was in the bed, GVWR can be between 26,000 and 37,000 pounds.
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