Deteriorating bridge undergoes $3.1 million overhaul, reopens to fanfare
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Officials touted the $3.1 million rehabilitation of a west side bridge as a major infrastructure improvement for more than 25,000 daily drivers.
The Dandy Trail Bridge above Eagle Creek, north of Crawfordsville Road, reopened Wednesday afternoon during a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Department of Public Works (DPW).
Drivers cheered and honked as they made their inaugural journey across the updated bridge’s widened roadway.
The Dandy Trail Bridge was closed for construction April 16 and was initially slated to reopen November 15.
Cold weather, excessive rain, creek flooding and “logistical issues” contributed to delays, DPW staffers said.
Detours around the closure had significantly altered traffic patterns for nearly eight months, according to drivers.
Dan Parker, the city’s public works director, said the bridge reopening would increase connectivity for west side drivers and commuters from Hendricks County.
He and his department had received record complaints about the Dandy Trail Bridge prior to the federally funded project, he said.
“If you saw the structure before the construction, you would know it was much needed,” Parker told News 8. “The bridge deck was falling apart.”
Kentry Burris, a west side resident, said he could “see down to the water from the bridge” before repairs were made.
“I’ve been here roughly nine years… I’ve seen extensive band-aiding,” Burris told News 8.
His wife, Elizabeth Mannon, said she once narrowly avoided crashing their new car while dodging potholes on the Dandy Trail Bridge.
Residents questioned why the structure wasn’t rehabilitated until years after it had fallen into disrepair. DPW officials maintained the pre-construction bridge was structurally sound despite its poor aesthetics.
The updated Dandy Trail Bridge features a 24-foot roadway flanked by a raised sidewalk and protected bike lane.