Bridge #51 Closed in Starke County

Steve Siddall

Starke County Highway Superintendent Steve Siddall came before the Commissioners yesterday and reported on two bridges in the county.

The first bridge, #51 was closed last week. Siddall said the caps, that were wooden and placed on the bridge in the 1950s, have crushed and failed. He said that this was a bridge that was scheduled to be replaced.

“Several years ago, I’m going to say 10 or 12 years ago, they set up a program to replace these bridges and put them by category by year,” said Siddall. “If we were still on that, this year that bridge was scheduled to be replaced. It will be bid out in the spring.”

The other bridge was #156 which is scheduled to be opened soon. Because an approach slab was poured wrong, it had to be replaced. As of yesterday, the pouring had not been completed, but Siddall said that work should set back the opening of the bridge one day.

Bridge #51 is on 700 South in North Bend Township, and bridge #156 is on Range Road in Davis Township.