Construction on the Upland bridge has progressed with pouring concrete, forming the deck and the reinforced approaches on Oct. 31.
The concrete needs a minimum of seven days to cure before any additional work can take place, Hunter Petroviak, public relations director for Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), said.
Earlier in October, bridge construction was postponed because the vertical clearance fell one inch short between the railroad tracks and the beams under the bridge.
“We believe several factors played into the clearance being one inch short,” Petroviak said. “Soil displacement during pile driving likely caused a minor upward shift in track elevation.”
Petroviak said the tracks were likely reconditioned between the original survey and the redesign, slightly changing the track elevation.
Originally the Upland bridge project cost $3.7 million, but the cost will be reevaluated due to raising the bridge six inches, Petroviak said.
Though the bridge’s completion date has changed over time, corrective construction to fix the vertical clearance has not hindered the completion goal for early December. Once the construction is complete, INDOT will connect the sidewalks and new roadway to the bridge. Afterwards, the bridge will be open to traffic.
Since the bridge deck and approaches have been completed, INDOT will wait a minimum of seven days from Oct. 31, then continue construction. The next projects scheduled include pouring sidewalks, installing bridge railings and pedestrian fence and guardrail.
