The State Line Bridge, spanning the Kankakee River at the Indiana-Illinois border, has long been a concern for locals due to persistent logjams and flooding issues. Originally built in 1926, the bridge was decommissioned years ago. While inaccessible to people, debris accumulates around it, exacerbating flood conditions.
The Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission recently obtained the critical federal permit to dismantle the bridge. This project, with an estimated cost of $2.5 million, is slated to start this fall and aims for completion by December. It will involve using two cranes to disassemble the structure methodically. Each component will be labeled and stored, safeguarding the potential for future reassembly in a non-obstructive location.
Scott Pelath, the commission’s Executive Director, emphasized the preservation of the bridge’s historical aspects in the process. “This is not a salvage operation,” he stated. “The pieces will be safeguarded for a community or organization interested in reconstructing this historic engineering piece.” The plan, devised by the engineering firm Butler, Fairman, and Seufert, employs cranes on a temporary river causeway. F.H. Paschen will execute the removal, with full budgetary provisions in place according to Pelath.
The commission, established in 2019, has prioritized the bridge’s removal amid ongoing flood control efforts. The project epitomizes the challenge presented by low-lying bridges trapping heavy debris. Unlike others, the strategic position of the State Line Bridge complicates debris removal during flood conditions. “The issue is compounded by the inability to clear obstructions during floods,” Pelath expressed.
John McNamara, Commission Chair and former St. Joseph County surveyor, reflected on past plans to remove the bridge. “We’ve envisioned this removal since the late 1970s,” he recalled. “Closed for nearly thirty years, it consistently impedes high waters in flood seasons.” McNamara regards the upcoming bridge removal as significant, anticipating a milestone when the cranes commence their work.
Local farmer and Newton County Commissioner Rob Churchill echoed the sentiment, highlighting the bridge’s hindrance to agricultural drainage. “Farmers like me have worried about this ever since I can remember,” he stated. “The bridge’s removal is a great relief.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, alongside Indiana officials, has collaborated with the commission to ensure a preservation agreement. This agreement maintains the bridge’s historical significance while allowing essential flood control procedures to move forward this year.
Doug Ross contributes to the Post-Tribune as a freelance reporter.
Leave a Reply