A bridge too low: Tall trucks threaten historic Georgia link

SMYRNA, Ga. – A historic covered bridge near Atlanta that was rebuilt after being burned down during the Civil War now faces a different foe: GPS systems.

WABE-FM reports that five vehicles since December have rammed into the top of the 7-foot-high (2.1-meter) warning beam erected just before the entrance to the Concord Covered Bridge.

Cobb County spokesman Ross Cavitt says officials attribute a spike in accidents to navigation apps that lead oversized vehicles to the bridge. He says officials are working with such companies to see if they can provide in-app warnings.

The county has installed an electronic warning sign that warns trucks and cars with trailers if they’re too tall and need to detour.

Local authorities spent $800,000 to repair the National Register of Historic Places structure last year.

___

Information from: WABE-FM, http://www.wabe.org/