Historic Covered Bridge in Centreville, MI Re-Opens After $3M Worth of Repairs

The 4-month long project on one of Michigan's oldest surviving covered bridges is finally complete.

Located in Centreville, Michigan, the Langley covered bridge is one of only three existing covered bridges in the state that the general public can actually drive across.

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About the Langley Covered Bridge

According to Pure Michigan this historic bridge is not only Michigan's longest covered bridge but it's one of the longest in the entire United States. Built in 1887 the bridge is nearly 137 years old so it's no surprise it needed a little updating.

According to the Sturgis Journal the historic Langley covered bridge in St. Joseph County is crossed by nearly 2,000 vehicles per day. The bridge, built in 1877, was named for Thomas Langley who was the first actual settler of Centreville.

Not only is the bridge a primary road for the village, but it's a stunning and historic landmark. Eric Shafer, board chairman of the St. Joseph County Road Commission, tells the Sturgis Journal,

The covered bridge is an icon in the county … the road commission vehicles have it as their logo on our trucks...It really means something to people.

About the Project:

The bridge has suffered some damage throughout the years including September 19, 2022 when a horse trailer attempting to cross the bridge knocked the height limiter over. This was the second time the limiter had been hit over a span of two weeks, according to Three Rivers News.

First announced Spring 2023, the $3.2 million project included replacing the steel underneath the bridge, replacing the deck of the bridge with new wood, re-painting the exterior, and replacing the concrete abutments at both ends of the bridge.

However, project supervisor Ray Davis told the Sturgis Journal that many repairs,

...including the application of a coat of red paint to the exterior of the west side of the bridge, painting the structure’s support beams and adding a roof over the fisherman’s windows – will have to be performed in warmer weather later this year.

Unfortunately, that will probably mean another closure but thankfully this one shouldn't be quite as long as the last 4 months. Drivers are once again expected to be detoured to Angevine Road for the project's duration.