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PITTSFIELD, Ill. ? The closed pointer will stay up at the Florence overpass ? presumably is to next 9 months.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is watchful on a inform from the consulting definite of Modjeski and Masters, Inc., approaching by early next week, with recommendations on how to repair the shuttered straight lift bridge.

Once cost estimates are existing and a testimonial adopted, Steve Beran, IDOT District 6 overpass engineer, mentioned ?dollars will flow? to the project.

The overpass closed to van traffic on June 28 due to constructional problems found during a slight inspection. The closure forced drivers to road miles out of their way to cranky the Illinois River between Pike and Scott counties.

?We wish to obtain access over the Illinois River at the Florence overpass re-established as shortly as possible. That is work a for me,? Sen. Sam McCann, R-Carlinville, said.

Town meetings, hold Monday in Winchester and Pittsfield, drew about 75 people to any place to listen to from McCann, a deputy of Rep. Jim Watson?s office, IDOT officials and an Illinois Department of Agriculture authorized about the continuing dry weather and, primarily, the bridge.

If there was a broad thesis between the meetings, ?it?s this overpass is undeniably critical to the West-Central Illinois manage to buy and society. We already knew that, of course, but that?s a reason you longed for to advance out here,? McCann said.

?The principal role of this discussion is only spread of knowledge. There are a lot of rumors buoyant around, that may be this is a outline to look for closure of that bridge. Nothing could be serve from the fact as far as I know it. I?m told the overpass will open as shortly as possible, as shortly as you find a protected entrance to make that happen.?

With collect period approaching, McCann and Watson outline to send a e-mail Tuesday to IDOT Director Ann Schneider asking for consent to open the I-72 bridges to rural exercise traffic, giving farmers an swap way to cranky the river.

?I know a few farmers who plantation on both sides of the river. It?s a large situation for them,? David Gay, boss of the Pike County Farm Bureau, said. The plantation business hosted the Pittsfield meeting.

People at the Pittsfield discussion asked about probable swap routes ? over the posted road ? for other traffic, trimming from a packet service to a proxy entrance to the widespread from the Griggsville-Detroit Blacktop. IDOT officials mentioned those options and others will be deliberate once more is well known about the timeline for repairs.

?It impacts the entire area. I wish to find out what the outline is and see if you can?t pull the pouch a small and obtain it remade quicker. Nine months is a long time,? Jim Brown, store executive of the County Market in Pittsfield, said. ?It?s impacted the store. We obtain a lot of customers that are probably going to Jacksonville now.?

Structural problems found during a slight review forced the closure. An extra review on July 3 fixed the overpass must sojourn closed to prevent serve constructional damage whilst officials establish how most appropriate to make repairs. McCann and Watson, R-Jacksonville, legalised the overpass on July 20 with IDOT officials.

?The principal constructional complaint correct right away is the encouragement mainstay for a of the first shivs, that are similar to a hulk pulley at the tip of the pier. The encouragement mainstay buckled. We?re anxious about constructional fortitude and the future of serve damage,? Beran said. ?Because it is a mobile camber lift bridge, that does emanate a few extra difficulties for us. Moving apparatus is not related with conventional bridges you have here. There are a lot of extra complexities that must be addressed.?

The Mechanicsburg, Pa.-based consulting firm, with offices in Edwardsville and St. Louis, is questioning the encouragement mainstay buckling and the result in of transformation concerning the lift resource and will go on to work with IDOT concerning feasibility and time frame indispensable to repair the bridge.

The overpass raises to enable barges to pass underneath, then lowers to enable vehicles ? an median of 1,300 per day ? to cross. While closed to van traffic, the overpass is in the entirely lifted position to be able to sustain boat traffic.

IDOT?s Lower Illinois River Regional Crossing Study is seeking at options inclusive replacing the bridge, relocating the overpass serve downstream, repairing the existing overpass and simply shutting the overpass and redirecting traffic.

A adults instructive organisation shaped to assist IDOT with the study. The organisation will encounter once again at 6 p.m. Aug. 28 in the Nimrod Funk Building on the Scott County Fairgrounds.

But Beran mentioned the constructional problems could start the discussion.

?The conventional lifespan of a main road overpass is about 75 years. This overpass was built in 1929, so it has exceeded its utilitarian lifetime already, and you are having to do repairs on the overpass to keep it going,? he said. ?We have proposed the really rough phases of the probability of replacing the overpass sometime but it?s going to be a long, strenuous process to obtain that done.?

? dhusar@whig.com/221-3379

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Posted by pasarloak on Aug 13 2012. Filed under Tips & Tricks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

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