Construction on the Upland bridge has been postponed.
The goal is to resume bridge work within the next couple of weeks, pending on material fabrication timelines, Hunter Petroviak, public relations director for Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), said.
INDOT paused the construction because the bridge’s vertical clearance was approximately one inch short between the railroad tracks and the beams under the bridge, Petroviak said, prior to placing any dead loads.
“No corrective actions have been made yet as INDOT and its contracting partners work through possible solutions,” Petroviak said. “Once a solution has been decided, work on the bridge will resume.”
Once dead loads are accounted for, he said, the bridge will need to be raised about six inches to meet the required minimum clearance.
The purpose of the project is to address deteriorating pavement and bridge conditions along State Road 22, Petroviak said. The benefits to the travelling public will be the bridge and pavement replacement and improvements to pedestrian facilities and drainage.
After the bridge is completed, INDOT will plant approximately 800 trees and plants as part of Upland’s Beautification Plan in Spring 2026.
INDOT owns the project, but contractors, subcontractors, stakeholders and the Town of Upland are involved, Petroviak said. The bridge project was introduced to the public in February 2021. Work began in April 2024, and projected completion was December 2025.
As with all INDOT projects, Petroviak said, work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.
“INDOT certainly understands the disruptions that construction can have, but investing in our infrastructure is crucial for all Hoosier communities,” he said.
Best-One Tire and Service of Upland sits next to the bridge construction.
Michael Pearson, managing partner of Best-One Tire and Service of Upland, has watched the bridge’s construction process. He’s been waiting to see the structure put into place to where the concrete can be poured on top.
“It’ll be fun to be able to look back and see the finished product,” Pearson said. “Relive it backwards to see what it took to get to the finished product.”
