High Banks Bridge

Hats off to the Hoosiers for a great preservation job. Looks like I need to put the entire state of Indiana on "my list" instead of just driving through it on the Interstate System every couple years.

New wooden deck is over half finished.

Way to go Indiana! Preserving historic bridges is the right way. I been watching the updates and the excellent pics. I hope more bridges like this one get made over. Would have been cool to see the Mt Carmel "twelve span" made over for westbound traffic and the new UCEB going up next to it for eastbound traffic. Well, minds have been made up and that historic bridge is bound for the scrapheap.

The High Banks Bridge once again spans the White River. Crews this week lifted it back into place, and are now working on the floor system and roadway in preparation of opening it to traffic.

Visited High Banks Bridge today. Paint job is now completed, and bracing is now being installed to support the lifting of the span. The bridge will be placed back on it's original cut stone abutments over the White River. Road is being upgraded and bridge will be reopened to traffic.

Wow it's coming along nicely. Yeah the green is nice but I agree with you Tony it blends in too much. I kinda like the ways it looks in the white primer coat. I have seen a couple of Columbia Bridge Works bridges restored and painted white and thought they looked nice.

Visited High Banks yesterday and found a half-and-half bridge. Bridge was painted with a white intermediate coat, and was starting to receive it's green finish coat. Although green wouldn't be my first choice because it blends with the foliage, it's a far cry better than the rusty color that this span donned for so many years. I wouldn't be surprised to see the bridge back over the river in the next few weeks.

I am impressed when people have hearts to restore an old bridge. Too many UCEB's spoil the heartland and seeing work like this being done makes me smile. Cannot wait to see this bridge all finished.

WOW!

I was amazed when I visited the bridge this evening. I arrived to find the trusses completely assembled. The crew erecting it has really been busy this past week. It shouldn't be too long before it is lifted back over the river. That is unless they decide to paint it while it is on dry land.

Wow, the reassembly is moving along! It would be neat to see some of the work in process. This is going to look like a brand new bridge once complete. I can't wait to see. This is quite an effort to restore a historic bridge. More truss bridges should have been saved either this way(disassemble, clean, reconstruct) or reconstruction on the spot.

Update. Bridge is about 30% reassembled, with the West portal completed.

Visited the bridge today. Happy to report that the reassembly has started. I watched for a while as they drove a pin into the connection between the upper chord and a vertical. The photos show that 2 panels have been put together.

Still waiting on the return of the bridge.

YES! Very good news indeed. Thanks for the update Anthony. The rest of the country would do well to follow Indiana's example for historic bridge preservation.

GOOD NEWS.........

This bridge is being disassembled-not for storage or relocation, but it is to be restored and reassembled in place.

Ohio has been doing that with some of their spans, but this might just be a first in Indiana (for a steel truss bridge).

Webmaster's note: The photo that was here has been incorporated into the main site.

This bridge is being torn down. What a shame, truly.

I often drive through the countryside to visit this bridge with my friends and we have loved it for years. I've seen the seasons change from this bridge. I've seen the first sign of spring and the first leaf of the season change color from this bridge. It is a symbol of friendship and youth ... Old Monroe, as we came to call it, will be sadly and deeply missed.

Rest in peace dearest friend.

This bridge is actually a twin to the Preist Ford Bridge. Although it was built 5 years later, Indiana Bridge used the same drawings for both bridges.