Adam Huening
The bridge may seem harmless, even picturesque, spanning across Clifty Creek in the western part of Decatur County, but it has the potential to lead to disaster.
According to Tim Ortman, assistant superintendent of the Decatur County Highway Department, that’s why Bridge 131 on County Road 200 South just before the Bartholomew County line was shut down.
“That bridge just deteriorated at a very rapid rate over the last two years and essentially was unsafe for public travel,” Ortman said.
The discovery was made during routine annual inspections performed by AECON Engineering on behalf of the county. Ortman said the inspections are a regular event for the county bridges and help keep the highway department informed on the state of the local infrastructure. Ortman noted every bridge requires regular attention, but some need more than others.
“Every bridge deteriorates, but it’s the rate that matters,” he said.
The rate helps the county highway department determine what kind of maintenance is needed.
In the case of Bridge 131, the inspections revealed its potential to cause a tragic situation, he said.
AECON’s review caught the impending hazard before anything happened and, in doing so, assured the county its process was working. With the information at hand, Ortman said the highway department was able to respond quickly and shut down the bridge.
He noted about 300 to 400 cars travel that stretch of road daily, which is average for the county. While traffic may be disrupted, he felt it’s better than the alternative.
“The inspections paid off. It’s an inconvenience, but the bottom line is it curtails disaster. This time it worked out well before a disaster happened,” Ortman said.
The fate of the bridge will be up to the Decatur County Commissioners, Ortman noted. They will use the analysis done by AECON and the advice of county highway officials to determine if the bridge will be repaired or replaced.
Ortman added the county is still reviewing the analysis of the other bridges. Decisions will be made if more will need to be taken out of commission.
“There could be a few more. We’re in the process of going over all the analysis. Bridge 131 presented an immediate danger. That’s why we went out and shut it down.”
