Photo Provided Monroe County Commissioner Mick Schumacher, from left, joins Mike Killilea of Rider Construction and Tom Less of Woolpert Design Team to accept the Outstanding Special Purpose Bridge Award for the Knowlton Covered Bridge.

WOODSFIELD — The Association for Bridge Construction and Design recognized the Knowlton Covered Bridge as its Outstanding Special Purpose Bridge for 2024.

Monroe County Commissioner Mick Schumacher said the bridge was selected for the award in 2024, but the honor was presented last week in Cincinnati.

“The commissioners were notified that the bridge had won an award, but I do not know who had submitted the application or anything like that,” Schumacher said. “Wolpert was the design team and Rider was the construction team, and they won awards for other bridges, so I’m assuming they put in that application for that.”

Rider Construction also received the following awards: Outstanding New Short Span Bridge, Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio; Outstanding New Medium Span Bridge, Ohio 209, Guernsey County/Cambridge, Ohio; and Outstanding Rehabilitated Bridge, Adamsville, Gallia County, Ohio.

Woolpert was recognized for design and Rider for construction of the Knowlton Covered Bridge project in Monroe County.

“If nothing else, it gives those naysayers a little bit to realize that whether this bridge is open to traffic or not, it is on the radar. And I think it will bring interest and tourism to the area,” Schumacher said.

He added that he was very pleased to accept this award and appreciates the recognition it brings to Monroe County.

The Knowlton Covered Bridge was first constructed in 1860 and gained national recognition when, in 1980, it earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. But age and decay caught up with the structure in 2018 when it failed and collapsed.

After its collapse, Schumacher made it his mission for the bridge to be restored. He was able to see the project completed in 2024.

“I’m just glad that we were selected and, as I said, it just brings more eyes on the bridge. It gives us a little bit of credibility and certainly helps to showcase the craftsmanship of the designer and the construction company,” he said.

Schumacher added that he’s currently working to make sure that bridge stays on the National Register of Historic Places.

“I am trying to make sure that it is remaining on that, even though three quarters of it is new construction. It is by the original design. And there was a section that remained original,” he noted.