How bridges are inspected in Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — According to the Federal Highway Administration, Indiana’s bridges exceed the national average for safety, with 95 percent in fair or better condition.
The Indiana Department of Transportation is required to inspect its 5,600 bridges every two years.
“We’re going to do a visual inspection and look for the general soundness of the structure and make sure there is nothing loose, deteriorating, falling, that type of thing,” said INDOT Director of Bridge Management Anne Rearick.
Even though INDOT schedules inspections every two years, you can report concerns by calling its customer service line at 855-463-6848 or by clicking here.
According to INDOT’s Director of Bridge Design Jeremy Hunter, bridges in Indiana are constructed in a similar way to the pedestrian bridge that collapsed in Miami, killing six people.
Although INDOT isn’t required to inspect most of the state’s pedestrian bridges, it does inspect the one at Dandy Trail near Eagle Creek because it runs above Interstate 74. Technology called Accelerated Bridge Construction is what was used in Miami. Many bridges in the Hoosier state are also constructed that way, according to Hunter.
“The Accelerated Bridge Construction has kind of become common practice around the country over the last 10-15 years,” said Hunter.
Using the Accelerated Bridge Construction design, some or all components of the bridge are prefabricated off-site. Hunter says here in Indiana, they only prefabricate components.
“There are scenarios where portions of the bridge are fabricated off-site and most of our bridges, at least a portion of them, are fabricated off-site and then brought into the construction site and assembled here,” he said.
Accelerated Bridge Construction is used to reduce the amount of time roads would be closed or blocked due to construction.