Long Grove officials can’t take the possibility of bridge accidents seriously if they allow the placement of a wreath with a red bow covering a warning sign located at the roof gable of the historic Long Grove covered bridge. The green wreath and red bow almost entirely cover the diamond warning sign that alerts drivers of an 8’6″ clearance. The bridge has been hit by tall vehicles around 50 times, and was hit twice within a week of opening in Summer 2020.
The bridge is decorated beautifully for the Christmas and holiday season, but the lack of attention to the detail of keeping the clearance height warning visible is discouraging. The red bow could be placed at the bottom of the wreath or at the lower-right or lower-left to keep 8’6″ visible.
The Long Grove bridge has been hit at least 50 times since it was rebuilt and re-opened. YouTube Tips ⓘ
The original one-lane bridge was built in 1906. The first bridge cover was added in 1972 to help preserve the bridge from the elements, and to prevent heavy, oversize vehicles from crossing the bridge. The new 2020 cover was constructed with a steel skeleton, which can be observed by pedestrians looking overhead. The new 2020 bridge opened in August 2020.
The Long Grove bridge on Robert Parker Coffin Road, which is located at the southwest exit and entrance to downtown Long Grove, was damaged by a school bus Saturday August 15, 2020, and a box truck Wednesday, August 19, 2020. Both crashes occurred within of a week of the grand re-opening of the bridge. Drivers of both vehicles drove through the covered bridge, ignoring warning signs of an 8’6” height limit, and ignoring warning signs on the approach to the bridge.
Then an amazing number crashes continued — around 50 total — over following years through 2023.
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