Ashtabula County covered bridge will be nation's longest

Ashtabula County is set to dedicate the nation's longest covered bridge on Tuesday. (Take that, New Hampshire and Vermont.) The intricate wooden span stretches 613 feet, like a lumber yard pieced together above the flowing floor of the Ashtabula River valley.

Workers spent two years prepping the site and connecting beefy boards of Southern yellow pine to replace a deteriorated steel bridge along State Road. The record-breaker cost a few splinters less than $8 million, a bill shouldered by federal, state and local tax dollars.

The result is . . . well, simply massive. "It's going to grab some attention," promised Tim Martin, the county's engineer.

Officials expect covered-bridge fans from across the United States to find their way to Ohio's northeast corner to view the green monster. Parking areas are planned near both ends of the structure.