Two incidents prompt county to limit Larwood span to one lane

Someone has damaged Larwood Bridge and Linn County is willing to pay a reward to the person who identifies the culprit.

Damage to the nearly 70-year-old bridge is estimated at between $1,500 and $2,000, said Linn Roadmaster Darrin Lane.

This is the second time in a month the bridge has been damaged.

The first was noted Jan. 14 on the east end of the bridge. Additional damage, this time on the west end, was discovered Jan. 27.

Road crews suspect a log truck failed to lower its bunk extension while driving across the covered bridge.

The county filed a police report last week.

Lane said loaded log trucks should not be using the bridge and an empty truck could avoid hitting the structure by traveling down the middle.

He said from this point forward only one-lane travel will be permitted on the bridge.

"From now on everybody is going to be inconvenienced by having to yield and go across the bridge one at a time because of some inconsiderate person driving through the bridge and ripping the portal up," he said.

"It's not like it was just one time," he said. "It's been happening over and over again."

The roadmaster said he and his crew are getting tired of it and decided to file a police report.

"That way, if we ever catch this guy, we can nail him," Lane said.

Lane reminds residents there is a $500 reward for witnesses if their report leads to the arrest and conviction of any bridge vandal.

"If it saves tens of thousands on repair work on vandalism on the bridges, I'm willing to pay out a reward to somebody," he said.

The bridge, which traverses Crabtree Creek, is off Fish Hatchery Drive on Larwood Drive near Larwood County Park.