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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Firefighting near Crater Lake closes park's north entrance ... California woman charged with assault, DUII after crash near Ashland injures children ... Barbershop-style singers help local schools ... Firefighting near Crater Lake closes park's north entrance ... California woman charged with assault, DUII after crash near Ashland injures children ... Barbershop-style singers help local schools ... CENTRAL OREGON Central Oregon covered bridge ruined by careless driver Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Apr. 7, 2015 at 7:45 PM By The Associated Press Posted Apr. 7, 2015 at 7:45 PM » Social News BEND — The 13 residents of a neighborhood north of Bend say they'll be on the hook to rebuild the covered bridge to their homes unless officers can find the driver whose vehicle was taller than the 7 ½-foot clearance. The privately owned wooden structure was damaged beyond repair over the weekend. The driver left behind scrapes of red paint, but Deputy Joshua Westfall of the Deschutes County sheriff's department said there were no immediate suspects. Although it's not as old as some of Oregon's noted covered bridges — built in 1963 — the Swalley Canal Bridge is the only one east of the Cascades recognized by the Covered Bridge Society of Oregon, The Bulletin newspaper of Bend reported. It's used by many around the area as a shortcut across the stream, saving a roundabout drive of 2 miles more, and it's been damaged before, to the tune of $15,000 to $25,000 in repairs. Only once, say residents of the Rock O' The Range neighborhood, has the culprit been located, and an insurance claim been processed. That was when a driver got stuck in the low clearance. Residents hope they won't have to shell out thousands of dollars each this time to fix it, and they say they may have to hit up others nearby who also use the bridge. "We need to figure out who did this," said resident Toby Bayard. "We're just devastated. . It's kind of a hallmark of our neighborhood." The bridge is west of U.S. 97 on Bowery Lane, a local access road that does not meet standards to be maintained by the county road department. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Apr. 7, 2015 at 7:45 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501