Taylor Street Bridge

The second bridge across the Winooski River in Montpelier was built just 900 feet downstream from Main Street at Taylor Street. 

Originally a covered bridge crossed the river at this spot and conducted traffic to and from the Vermont State House. Passenger trains deposited visitors at a train station not far from the current Montpelier Transit Center.

The covered bridge at Taylor Street was swept away by the 1927 flood. It was replaced in 1929 by the steel Parker Truss bridge that still stands today. A Parker truss has a polygonal top chord and is well suited for relatively wide spans. The Taylor Street bridge is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For Taylor Street's illumination design, the polygonal top chord and select trusses were outlined with light to celebrate the bridge's structure and engineering.

Before leaving Taylor Street, walk around the nearby Transit Center to discover several public art installations. Inside, you'll find this mural by Abena Songbird (Missisquoi Abenaki) and other Indigenous artists. It celebrates Abenaki lifeways along the river throughout the year.