The exterior of Bartholomew County Courthouse in Columbus, Ind., pictured, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016. Mike Wolanin | The Republic
COLUMBUS, Ind. — Bartholomew County officials are planning repairs next year on one of the most heavily traveled rural bridges in the region.
But whether or not permanent repairs take place on the concrete bridge located along East 25th Street over Clifty Creek, about a mile east of Petersville, depends largely on the impact of inflation, Bartholomew County Highway Engineer Danny Hollander said.
The Bartholomew County Commissioners assigned USI Consultants, Inc. of Indianapolis on Monday to handle early plans and specifications for what the county calls Bridge 317.
The concrete deck has substantially deteriorated since the spring of 1999, when the county took control of East 25th Street from Talley Road to State Road 9. Up to that time, the two-lane highway that included the bridge was part of State Road 46 and maintained by the Indiana Department of Transportation.
The Clifty Creek bridge has been listed among the top five Bartholomew County bridges most in need of rehabilitation since 2017.
In the past, Hollander has informed the county commissioners that using asphalt or other quick fixes to patch concrete bridges is far from being the ideal way to address deck problems.
Due to the anticipated high cost, Hollander said USI engineers will attempt to determine whether a lower-cost but long lasting repair alternative is possible. However, the county highway engineer warned the bridge may need a entirely new superstructure.
For the complete story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
