Covered Bridge to remain open

It appears St. Joseph County’s icon since 1887 is safe.

Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday that recommends the county road commission keeps the Langley Covered Bridge open and in use within its current capacity.

Road commission board members over the past few years have lamented the perpetual maintenance and associated costs of keeping the bridge open to traffic of limited height and weight.

Its members had debated closing the bridge and building a span adjacent to it. Another option was to close it to vehicular traffic and adopt Angevine Road to the east as an alternative crossing over the St. Joseph River.

In the end, however, county commissioners made clear they want the bridge to remain open to vehicular traffic, no matter the expense.

County administrator Teresa Doehring said Tuesday’s vote in support of the resolution was not required nor was it legally binding.

Doehring said she is optimistic a number of grants exist that might help the road commission financially keep the three-span, 282-foot structure safe and secure.