Originally Posted by The Beep
I think covered bridges are cool looking but I still don't understand the concept. If your going to cover the bridges, why not cover areas of the road also?
Way back when bridges were made out of wood, they covered them to keep them from rotting and in the northern areas to keep them clear of snow. The idea being that it's harder to clean off a bridge than the road. Maybe it's not as heavy to keep the snow of the driving deck (it would melt off the roof quicker than if it's packed down from traffic) and effectively reduce the amount of weight the bridge needs to support in winter.
Naw, they just did it to make them cool and historical looking!