Bayswater Covered Bridge - New Brunswick

 

The Bayswater Covered Bridge was built in 1920 across the Milkish Inlet of the Saint John and Kennebecasis Rivers on New Brunswick's Kingston Peninsula. Also known as the Milkish Inlet #1 Bridge, the Bayswater Covered Bridge is 218 feet (67 meters) long and was built using a Howe truss design in its construction. This was not the only covered bridge to once cross over the Milkish Inlet, as another covered bridge once existed upstream, only to be replaced by a causeway. But as a testament of being in an area with many covered bridges, the Bayswater Covered Bridge remains.

The covered bridge was restored in 2021 and now carries loads of up to 30 tons as a result of the construction work. Since the Bayswater Covered Bridge is a vital transportation link along the Kingston Peninsula and on a provincial highway, NB 845, a million dollar restoration project was needed in order for emergency vehicles and other vehicles to safely cross the bridge. This became especially crucial after flooding on the Saint John River made the detour routes impassable. The restoration work was done mainly on the bottom of the bridge, so it may not be something you see at first glance. This means that the Bayswater Covered Bridge retains much of its original material on the sides of the covered bridge along with the roof.

I found the Bayswater Covered Bridge to be really nice, and as a bonus, the Bayswater Lighthouse is just around the corner from the bridge. It was a nice stop as I started to wrap up a day touring some of New Brunswick's many covered bridges and waterfalls.

The covered bridge has a clearance of 4.4 meters and a rounded portal.

Follow NB 845 across the Bayswater Covered Bridge and the Milkish Inlet. As you can see, there's a headache bar next to the bridge to prevent overheight vehicles from striking the bridge.

The Bayswater Lighthouse is just down the road from the covered bridge alongside NB 845. You can't miss it. The lighthouse was built in 1913 by B.R. Palmer at the cost of $825. While the covered bridge was deactivated in 2005, it is protected under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act.

How to Get There:



Sources and Links:
Round Barns & Covered Bridges - New Brunswick Covered Bridge List
Kingston Peninsula Heritage - Bayswater Covered Bridge
CBC - Century-old covered bridge will stand at least 50 more years after restoration work
Tourism New Brunswick - Covered Bridges: New Brunswick's Iconic Link From Past to Present