IL: Illinois River Florence bridge closed again

[Lyon Wonder]

The Florence bridge is a truss bridge with a vertical lift span that crosses the Illinois River on IL-106 between Scott and Pike Counties in rural western Illinois. US-36 used to cross this bridge until 1991 when it was moved 4 miles upstream to a new bridge on I-72. The Florence Bridge, built in 1930, is similar to the IL-100 bridge downstream in Hardin, and the former bridge on IL-351 at La Salle that was replaced several years ago.

http://www.bridgehunter.com/il/pike/florence/

http://www.johnweeks.com/river_illinois/pages/illA03.html

IDOT has closed the bridge at Florence yet again since structural issues were discovered during an inspection.  At the earliest it will be closed for 9 months.  Since the I-72 is only 4 miles upstream, the IL-106 bridge only gets around 1,300 vehicles a day.   

http://www.myjournalcourier.com/articles/ill-40851-closed-bridge.html

JOURNAL-COURIER

The Florence Bridge, which carries Ill. 100 and Ill. 106 over the Illinois River, is expected to be closed for at least the next nine months.

Motorists are being encouraged to use a marked detour route to Interstate 72.

The bridge was closed June 28 because of structural issues found during a routine inspection. As a safety precaution to motorists and barge traffic on the Illinois River, the bridge was closed indefinitely until a further analysis could be completed.

The Illinois Department of Transportation monitored the lift mechanism of the bridge. During a recent bridge inspection, buckling of a primary support column for the lift portion was discovered. The lift mechanism at the top of a primary support column had moved laterally, impacting the support column and other critical elements, according to transportation officials.

Continued operation of the lift span of the bridge would have caused extensive additional damage to the support column. The bridge was also placed in the fully raised position to maintain barge traffic on the Illinois River.

The Illinois Department of Transportation contracted with the consulting firm of Modjeski and Masters. On July 3, an additional inspection confirmed the bridge must remain closed to traffic to avoid further structural damage.

Modjeski and Masters is investigating the support column buckling and cause of movement regarding the lift mechanism and will continue to work with the Illinois Department of Transportation regarding feasibility and time frame needed to repair the bridge, transportaion officials said.

An average of 1,300 vehicles use the bridge each day.

[Lyon Wonder]

Here's a local news video about the IL-106 bridge closure. 

http://www.wgem.com/story/18907324/il-highway-106-florence-bridge-closed-until-further-notice

Local residents aren't happy about the closing of the IL-106 Illinois River bridge, even though Pike county is very rural and the I-72 bridge is only 4 miles upstream.

[Rick Powell]

When I was at IDOT, we specified the IL 351 bridge be stripped of all usable parts and crated up and sent down to District 6 for spare parts for the Florence bridge.  As the above article states, the two bridges were nearly identical in their mechanical parts.  I'm pretty sure some of the salvage parts will be used in the repair if they haven't been used already.