why are covered bridges covered?
The short answer — To make them last longer. A covered bridge lasts up to five times as long as one without a roof. Good to know — The pragmatic men who constructed New Brunswick’s covered bridges put the roof over the bridge floor for a very simple reason. Protecting the working beams, or the supports underneath the bridge floor, from the wetting and drying that comes with being rained upon extends the useful life of a bridge substantially. An open or uncovered bridge could be expected to last 20 years. Covering that same bridge means it will still be serving travellers 80 to 100 years after it was built.
