RANDOLPH COUNTY, Ill. - The historic Little Mary's River Covered Bridge in Chester, Illinois, is set to reopen Monday after being closed for nearly a year due to a restoration project.

The restoration project, which cost more than $300,000, included modern safety modifications to the bridge. The bridge was originally closed after a severe windstorm in 2023 that caused damage to its roof, fire suppression system, and video monitoring equipment.

The 86-foot-long pedestrian-only bridge, located along Illinois 150 about 4 miles north of Chester, was built in 1854. It is the oldest remaining covered bridge in Illinois and the only one in Southern Illinois.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadc

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