Chester County Commissioners Josh Maxwell, Marian Moskowitz, and Eric Roe joined State Rep. John Lawrence and Crossing Under Cover author Sara Beth Kohut this week to officially cut the ribbon on the newly built Rudolph and Arthur Covered Bridge.

More than 80 people—including project partners, historians, covered bridge enthusiasts, and members of the local community—attended the celebration.

The new bridge spans the Big Elk Creek, reconnecting Elk and New London townships in southern Chester County. It restores an important historic and practical link between the two communities, replacing the beloved 140-year-old covered bridge that was tragically destroyed in September 2021 by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. During that storm, record-breaking floodwaters—rising 19 feet above previous levels—tore the bridge apart and carried it nearly a mile downstream.

Construction on the replacement bridge began in October of 2024. The new structure faithfully replicates the original 1880 design, featuring the distinctive Burr Arch Truss, and it honors the craftsmanship and heritage of the original bridge.

Both the original and the new bridge are named after the Rudolph and Arthur families, who once operated a paper mill near the site.

Chester County government owns and maintains 91 roadway bridges, as well as two bridges over the Schuylkill River co-owned with Montgomery County. More than half of the county’s bridges are over 75 years old, and many are more than 100 years old.

Of the 15 covered bridges located in Chester County, five are owned and maintained by Chester County government.