Nov 13, 2009 6:28 pm US/Central
Northwestern Indiana Bridge Closed For 6 Weeks
Inspection Report Suggests Weight Limit For Cline Avenue Bridge Be Reduced
HAMMOND, Ind. (CBS) ―
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The Cline Avenue Bridge in northwestern Indian was closed on Nov. 13, 2009, amid an inspection report suggesting the weight limit for trucks should be reduced. The bridge will be closed at least six weeks.
CBS
Imagine hearing a bridge you drive across all the time is suddenly closed for safety reasons. It's happening in northwestern Indiana. CBS 2's Pamela Jones reports that highway officials shut down almost 4 miles of Cline Avenue on Friday between Calumet and Michigan.
Officials said they're not calling the Cline Avenue Bridge unsafe, but they said it will be closed for at least six weeks as a precautionary measure after receiving an inspection report that suggested the agency lower the weight limit for vehicles crossing the bridge.
It's a situation a lot of drivers didn't know about until they got re-routed on Friday.
The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) closed the bridge from Calumet Avenue in Hammond to Michigan Avenue in East Chicago.
Westbound Cline Avenue traffic was directed to take U.S. Highway 12 (Columbus Drive) west to U.S. Highway 12/20 (Indianapolis Boulevard) west to Calumet Avenue south. Eastbound traffic was directed to take Calumet Avenue north to Indianapolis Boulevard east to Columbus Drive east back to Cline Avenue.
One woman riding in a car on Cline Avenue said, "I'm tetrified, perrified, whatever of bridges. I don't do 'em, so I don't care. I'll go any way that doesn't involve them."
INDOT said an engineering report from a consultant suggests that the agency reduce the weight limit on the bridge, so officials decided to close it to ensure safety.
The report suggested the 80,000-pound weight limit for trucks should be reduced. One trucker who spoke to CBS 2 News said, "That's not good. I mean, we gotta keep up the weight. That's how we get paid."
One woman said, "It scares me that I drive it a lot. … Would have been nice to see the sign there."
Workers posted detour signs all afternoon. The bridge is a major route for the steel mills and oil companies in the area and the casinos in northwestern Indiana.
One woman driving to a casino said, "I'm trying to win some money on Friday the 13th and I'm like 'Maybe I should go back home. That's a sign.'"
INDOT said the bridge would stay closed for at least six weeks while they review the inspection report.
Officials were focusing their attention on a section of the bridge that crosses the Indiana Harbor Canal.
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