N.B. covered bridge in state of significant disrepair

For the past 37 years, few days have gone by without Holly Mitton driving by the bridge named after her great-grandfather.

"It's been part of my life living here. We've always gone down, walked through, visited," said Mitton.

The William Mitton Bridge near Riverview, N.B., has slowly deteriorated over the past several years.

To the naked eye, it appears it could collapse soon.

The bottom of the dilapidated structure currently sits a metre or so from the muddy banks of the Petitcodiac River.

Mitton lives on a family farm on a hill overlooking the historic bridge.

"It's really sad to see the condition it's in. It definitely was a popular tourist attraction and seeing it in such bad shape is sad," said Mitton. "It's not going to last much longer,"

Covered bridge historian Raymond Boucher has been trying to preserve it for years, but now knows its demise is inevitable.

"Once a snow load goes on that again, it'll be in the river," said Boucher on Friday.

The William Mitton Bridge near Riverview, N.B., has fallen into disrepair in recent years. (Source: Derek Haggett/CTV News Atlantic)

In early March, Boucher spoke to CTV News about consulting with engineers to see if it could be saved and at what cost.

Almost six months later, the bridge is clearly closer to the mud and water.

Boucher, president of the Covered Bridges Conservation Association of New Brunswick, believes the bridge will collapse soon, possibly this winter.

He said attempts to secure federal or private funding to save it have not been successful so it's in the hands of the provincial government.

"They have to do something now. Unfortunately it's going to disappear," said Boucher.

The William Mitton Bridge near Riverview, N.B., is in a state of near collapse. (Source: Derek Haggett/CTV News Atlantic)

On Thursday, CTV News reached out to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DTI) to see what the province plans on doing about the bridge.

DTI spokesperson Jacob MacDonald said the bridge was moved to its current site in 1942 and was bypassed with the current alignment of Route 112 in the early 1980s.

"It has been closed to traffic since that time," said MacDonald in an email.

There was no response about what the department may do about the bridge.

The William Mitton Bridge near Riverview, N.B., is in a state of near collapse. (Source: Derek Haggett/CTV News Atlantic)

On Friday, MacDonald said DTI is aware of the condition of the bridge and has talked with the conservation association about it.

"Due to the structure’s current state of disrepair, there is unfortunately no easy solution with regards to rehabilitation," MacDonald said.

Boucher thinks if it does indeed collapse, it could have environmental consequences.

"That's part of the Petitcodiac River system. I can see it getting hung up even at the bridge right here, which is going to cause flooding because water is going to back up behind it. If it gets to the actual river itself, I'm not an environmentalist myself, but it can't be good for the river," he said.

The 23-metre long bridge is currently on the Association Heritage New Brunswick's endangered list.

Over the years it has often been used for graduation and wedding photos.

The William Mitton Bridge near Riverview, N.B., has fallen into disrepair in recent years. (Source: Derek Haggett/CTV News Atlantic)

Boucher said the actual date of construction is obscure at best but he's sure it was originally built somewhere near St. Marie in Kent County.

"Because of the joinery used in its construction, we believe the bridge was built by someone with a knowledge of barn building," said Boucher. "The builder was probably of Acadian ancestry."

New Brunswick had 340 covered bridges in 1953, Boucher said, but only 59 remain.

New Brunswick is the only province in Atlantic Canada with covered bridges, according to Boucher.

"There's 81 in Quebec, there's one in Ontario and one in British Columbia," he said. "That's it."

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.