Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Northwest Indiana had tens of thousands of steelworkers employed at the area mills. The Cline Avenue extension north and west from US 12 was primarily built to serve Inland Steel, Youngstown Steel (LTV), the Amoco refinery, and other industrial concerns in the area. The freeway also connected to the Indiana Toll Road on the west allowing easy access to Chicago. Since the early 1980s, the number of industrial workers declined sharply, and the projected traffic volumes never materialized even though Cline Avenue became a primary access to the new Lake Michigan casinos that were subsequently built.
During the building of the high Cline Avenue extension bridge in East Chicago in the early 1980s, an accident claimed the lives of 12 construction workers. In 2009, this same bridge was permanently closed by INDOT due to the discovery of corrosion in the cables in the concrete structure.
Below is a link to an article in the NWI Times about the current status of the bridge that was closed a couple of years ago.
Two years and still counting on Cline Ave. solution (http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/east-chicago/two-years-and-still-counting-on-cline-ave-solution/article_bc21d8f3-e388-531b-a75c-adeae1bddf20.html)
So the debate over whether to replace it or permanently go with the surface route solution along Riley and Dickey Roads is still unsettled? Articles I have read seemed to indicated that INDOT was done with trying to come up with a replacement due to costs, and that some of the surface roads connecting the two freeway stubs were added to the state maintained system. Looks like I'll need to update the Indiana 912 (https://www.aaroads.com/guide.php?page=s0912in) page again to reflect some of this. I have northbound photos between I-80/94 and I-90 to add at some point as well.
I think INDOT has come to the conclusion that it will not rebuild the bridge with only regular funding, but is open to creative alternatives to get it rebuilt. A toll bridge operated by a private company is one possibility, but a couple of other options were tossed around in the past few months. One was that a casino would chip in $10M, but the prospect of casinos in Chicago stopped that one. Also, the mayors of Hammond and East Chicago talked about diverting funds slated for the SR 152 (Indianapolis Blvd) bridge to Cline Avenue. To be honest, I don't know what happened with that idea, but it clearly is not on the table now.
"A private investment group could hand East Chicago a concrete plan within weeks for replacing the condemned Cline Avenue bridge with a toll bridge..."
E.C. could see Cline toll bridge plan within weeks (http://www.nwitimes.com/business/transportation/e-c-could-see-cline-toll-bridge-plan-within-weeks/article_e13f730e-a2ba-5590-8b21-b97706c61e11.html) (NWI Times)
E.C. mayor strikes deal for private toll bridge (http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/east-chicago/e-c-mayor-strikes-deal-for-private-toll-bridge/article_54a12438-8bc8-5ce8-893d-c6d2070dc0da.html) (NW Indiana Times)
Progress in the plan for a new Cline Avenue Bridge.
But will it be concrete?
Quote
Despite a May announcement of a deal to build a new Cline Avenue Bridge, documents obtained by The Times show the state has yet to conclude a critical land-swap agreement with the bridge's private developer.
Cline Bridge turnover deadline looms (http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/east-chicago/cline-bridge-turnover-deadline-looms/article_914a0862-0463-5d5e-a841-3e28287e6b9f.html) (NW Indiana Times)
More on the Cline Avenue bridge:
Privatizing infrastructure, like Cline, brews a political battle (http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/privatizing-infrastructure-like-cline-brews-a-political-battle/article_195e9417-bbc0-58b0-96a7-f2bc6a6e1785.html) (NWI Times)
Major headway reported tonight. Source here. (http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/east-chicago/agreements-signed-in-cline-avenue-bridge-deal/article_7ac5f44d-184d-579b-8108-126da010de6a.html)
Long story short: INDOT, along with several private firms, have signed legalities to cede the right of way for construction of a new bridge once the demolition of the old one is complete. The plan is for construction to last between 24 and 30 months.
The only question left unanswered is whether or not funding was acquired to do the project, which will become more apparent as time progresses.
Guess there's still no timetable for when demo will occur. And it still surprises me that such a new structure had to be condemned. I wonder if it was built improperly or just never maintained. (What we've learned about steel reinforcement in concrete since the 1960s could probably rebuild the entire structure and then some with books.)
Quote from: Steve on September 13, 2012, 07:23:49 PM
Guess there's still no timetable for when demo will occur. And it still surprises me that such a new structure had to be condemned. I wonder if it was built improperly or just never maintained. (What we've learned about steel reinforcement in concrete since the 1960s could probably rebuild the entire structure and then some with books.)
My guess is improperly built without corrosion resistance, or with poor resistance, on the tensioning steel and that winter saltwater got in to it through the cracks that naturally occur in concrete over time.
Mike
Quote from: Steve on September 13, 2012, 07:23:49 PM
Guess there's still no timetable for when demo will occur. And it still surprises me that such a new structure had to be condemned. I wonder if it was built improperly or just never maintained. (What we've learned about steel reinforcement in concrete since the 1960s could probably rebuild the entire structure and then some with books.)
I thought it was slowly being demolished now. That is what the pictures in several articles show.
What sort of maintainence is supposed to be done on a concrete structure like that? The pavement seemed to be maintained OK so it certainly wasn't totally neglected. Also, obviously it was being inspected regularly. Given how careless the contractor that built it must have been as 14 people were killed during construction, you have to wonder if it was simply substandard construction or materials.