Kankakee River-State Line Road Bridge
Description
This bridge is predominately in Indiana with a small portion of the Western trusses at most being in the state of Illinois. The Kankakee River is actually the dividing line for Lake and Newton Counties in Indiana, and so the bridge could be said to be in 3 counties and 2 states.Facts
- Overview
- Through truss bridge over Kankakee River on State Line Road
- Location
- Lake County, Indiana, and Kankakee County, Illinois
- Status
- Closed to all traffic
- Future prospects
- To be rehabilitated in place
- History
- Built ca. 1900
- Design
- Pin-connected Pennsylvania through truss
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 222.1 ft.
Total length: 226.1 ft.
Deck width: 17.4 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 19.0 ft.
- Also called
- Lake County Bridge #36
Newton County Bridge #173 - Approximate latitude, longitude
- +41.16611, -87.52658 (decimal degrees)
41°09'58" N, 87°31'36" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 16/455825/4557330 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Illiana Heights
- Average daily traffic (as of 2016)
- 136
- Inventory numbers
- INNBI 4500033 (Indiana bridge number on the National Bridge Inventory)
IL 046-9902 (Illinois bridge number)
BH 16489 (Bridgehunter.com ID) - Inspection report (as of August 2018)
- Overall condition: Poor
Substructure condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9)
Sufficiency rating: 22.2 (out of 100)
View more at BridgeReports.com
Update Log
- August 12, 2019: New photos from Carl Crasher
- October 29, 2010: Updated by Anthony Dillon: Bridge to be rehabilitated in place
- September 25, 2010: Updated by James Baughn: Eliminated duplicate page for this bridge
- April 19, 2010: New Street View added by J.P.
- February 16, 2010: Updated by Anthony Dillon: Adjusted GPS coordinates
- October 23, 2009: Updated by J.P.: updated year built
- March 18, 2009: Updated by Anthony Dillon
Sources
- Tom Hall - thomas [dot] hall [at] ffni [dot] com
- Tony Dillon - spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com
- J.P. - wildcatjon2000 [at] gmail [dot] com
- James Baughn - webmaster [at] bridgehunter [dot] com
- Historicbridges.org - by Nathan Holth
Comments
Is this bridge still standing? I found an article from 2018 saying it may come down.
https://www.daily-journal.com/news/local/state-line-bridge-m...
Yes Nathan, it was my understanding that with the replacement of the Range Line Road Bridge the county agreed to rehab this one within a 5 year period.
Hopefully this will result in a Win/Win situation as the Range Line Span is to be reassembled over the Kankakee several miles to the East of it's former location.
From 18th month bid schedule... I HOPE/ASSUME that this technically means rehabilitation as its my understanding this bridge is NOT to be replaced but to be rehabbed:
LETTING DATE: 03/01/2017 CONTRACT: B-29599: Bridge Replacement, Other Construction: Bridge #36 State Line Road over Kankakee River
Photos taken in 2005.
According to the INDOT Historic Bridge Marketing site, this bridge has been upgraded to preserved and is to be rehabilitated in place.
I agree with the comments posted by Chad.Too many of these old bridges are being taken down for no apparant reason. A lot of State and County officials are often too quick to act on demolishion when there are other possibilities for these bridges. The tragic loss of the Markland bridge in Switzerland County still troubles me. The county commissioners were very insensitive to appeals to keep the bridge and a piece of that county's history is lost. I do so appreciate the efforts of the men annd women who give so much of their time and effort to save the old bridges.
Harold
This bridge has been closed and in danger of being demolished for several years. In early 2009 an agreement was reached between Kankakee County, IL; Lake & Newton Counties in IN to rehab this bridge.
Tony, According to my resources this bridge was built in 1900, which seems more appropriate.
I haven’t really heard any thing new about it’s future, I’m sure it’s doomed.
Being as this is a pin-connected span, I would say 1926 is probably not a correct date of construction.....probably closer to turn of the century. Tom, do you know anything about it's current status?
After seeing some wonderful photos of the State Line Road bridge, I can't help but ask some urgent questions:
First of all, who would think of relocating it somewhere else where its use is limited?
Secondly, anyone who thinks this bridge should be demolished has no clue on what they're talking about. Why raze it if it can be improved or refurbished from a structural standpoint?
True, this particular area of the Kankakee River has a real big dilemma with flooding, logjams, debris, etc. not only on the Illinois side but also in Indiana. But that's no reason why this bridge shouldn't be saved or rebuilt to meet every safety requirement you can name off the top of your head.
Anyways, if anyone hasn't checked out the bridge from other websites or personally, give it a go; it's one of three truss bridges in all of Lake County that deserve to stay where they are, not to wither into oblivion (like the Maple Street bridge in central Michigan) but to become of great historical value in the future.
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/in/lake/state-line/
Mr. Crasher's pics from Yesterday would suggest it is.
Not surprised to hear whining from the Illinois side as that county has trashed any historic bridge that once existed within it's borders. An agreement was made that when Lake County was allowed to replace the Rangeline Road Bridge that the State Line Road Bridge would be rehabbed within 5 years, which is coming up soon. Wouldn't surprise me if they try to weasel out of it! It's a great recreation spot that could be made better with rehabilitation of the bridge and some road improvements and parking to the South.