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The East Deer Park Drive Bridge reopened Monday after three months of repairs on the 63-year-old span over the CSX railroad, between Olde Towne Gaithersburg and Washington Grove.

Also known as "Humpback Bridge," the one-lane span is listed on the county's Locational Atlas of Historical sites and handles more than 6,000 yearly trips.

County transportation officials had wanted to replace the bridge with a modern two-lane structure, which rallied neighbors and history lovers to call for its preservation.

An inspection in November found that the timber bents that help support the bridge needed to be replaced.

More than 50 residents and elected officials marked the reopening, including County Executive Isiah Leggett, Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney A. Katz and Washington Grove Mayor Darrell Anderson.

"The community has fully supported protecting the bridge, and I am proud that we have been able to rehabilitate it and help achieve the surrounding neighborhood's preservation goals," Leggett (D) said in a statement.

"Keeping the bridge intact has helped safeguard the integrity of surrounding neighborhoods and has allowed us to hold onto a charming piece of railroad history," Katz said in the statement.

The project also replaced the asphalt roadway. The bridge's timber deck, steel beams and concrete abutments did not need to be replaced, according to the county.

The repairs to the timbers are expected to last about 50 years, while the roadway will need to be repaved in about 10 years.