Iconic Babbs Bridge reopens following crash repairs

By Ed Pierce

One of the most iconic structures associated with Windham is back open again, six months after sustaining damage when an overloaded truck barreled through its floor crashing into the Presumpscot River below.

Former State Rep. Gary Plummer of Windham was the first
to drive across the newly reopened and repaired Babbs 
Bridge connecting Gorham and Windham on Hurricane
Road. The bridge had been closed since September when
an overloaded truck crashed through the floor.
COURTESY PHOTO

Repair work by the Maine Department of Transportation for the covered Babbs Bridge off Hurricane Road linking Windham and Gorham was completed Thursday, Feb. 20 and former State Rep. Gary Plummer of Windham was first to drive across the bridge when it reopened.

“Babbs Bridge is now open to traffic. Yes, I got to be the first vehicle to drive through the newly repaired bridge,” Plummer posted on Facebook. “I am beyond elated.”

At about 12:45 p.m. Aug. 23, 2024, police say a Ford F750 truck loaded with 36,000 pounds of crushed gravel attempted to cross Babbs Bridge from Gorham east into Windham on Hurricane Road. The truck’s excessive weight caused planks on the wooden bridge floor to collapse and sent the truck crashing into the Presumpscot River below.

The posted weight limit for traveling across the Babbs Bridge span is 3 tons, or 6,000 pounds, and police said the truck weighed roughly six times the legal limit for crossing the bridge. The truck was owned by The Driveway Guys Company of Biddeford and was driven by Joshua Polewarzyk of Limington, 37, who was able to free himself from the truck in the water and sustained minor injuries in the crash. He was cited for excessive truck weight in crossing the bridge and was fined $2,500.

Maine Department of Transportation engineers were tasked with evaluating the structural status of the bridge for public safety and come up with a plan for repairs and restoration of the structure.

MDOT crews began working to restore the bridge in January and the project cost $110,000. Along with structural and floor repairs, MDOT replaced the deck and the bridge’s ornamental doors. Work was performed ahead of schedule as favorable weather conditions for repairs including specially milled lumber from Gorham matching the existing bridge dimensions were available much sooner than expected for repairs to commence.

A previous wooden covered bridge at the site stood for more than 100 years having reportedly been built by local farmers around 1840. The bridge is said to have been originally named for a family living on property nearby and before its destruction was said to be the oldest covered bridge in Maine.

The original Babbs Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in America but was burned by unidentified arsonists in 1973. Using donated lumber milled exclusively in Gorham and with work performed by community volunteers, the bridge span was rebuilt as an exact replica of the original Babbs Bridge and reopened to the public in conjunction with America’s Bicentennial celebration in 1976.

It is a single-span queenspost-style truss bridge, with a total structure length of 79 feet and a width of 13 feet, 9 inches. The bridge end portals have a posted height limit of 10 feet and the bridge is covered by a gabled roof, with its side and end walls finished in vertical board siding.

Vandals cut a hole in the bridge’s roof in 2014 which was subsequently repaired but damages that were caused by a snowplow truck in 2015 required the bridge to be closed again temporarily. In 2016, MDOT authorized a near-total $160,000 makeover of Babbs Bridge based upon its original design.

Work performed at that time included the installation of cement stone blocks for the bridge abutment. Other renovations in 2016 featured stripping off the bridge’s roof and replacing it with rough cut boards and plywood before topping it with cedar shingles. Work was also completed on the bridge’s sides and entrances at that time. In 2021, the Windham Town Council announced that the National Register of Historic Places had removed its designation for Babb’s Bridge because it is now a replica of the original historic structure.

The historic crossing typically carries more than 360 vehicles per day over the river. During the summer months, the property surrounding the bridge is popular with swimmers and picnickers.

The driver who crashed through the bridge last summer is no longer employed by The Driveway Guys company. Its owner has apologized for the incident and pledged to assist in community efforts to repair or replace the bridge.

For safety purposes, Babbs Bridge is inspected by MDOT at least every two years and the last inspection of the bridge for safety took place in July 2024. <