State Road 60 bridge to be replaced

The Pekin Town Council ended 2020 by meeting virtually in December due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Washington County.

The two major areas of business were saying goodbye to departing councilman Mike Bowling, who has served for the past 16 years. The other was to receive information on the State Road 60 bridge replacement near the former Sunoco station.   

The plan was to present Bowling with a few gifts to thank him for his service, but Town Manager Jaden Stone said Clerk-Treasurer Sherry Clem would just get those to him at some point following the meeting.

As for the bridge, Stone said he has limited information about the bridge replacement other than work on the project is set to begin in early 2022 and a stoplight like the one used in other bridge replacement projects on State Road 60 would be used. The duration of the project is expected to take one year.

According to the Indiana Department of Transportation the need for the project is due to the deteriorating condition of the existing bridge and is estimated to cost approximately $3.7 million with portions coming from both the state and federal levels.

The bridge replacement will cover a length of 192.6 feet and a 12-feet wide travel lane bordered by three feet of shoulder space in each direction.

Guardrails and concrete bridge rail transitions will be installed along the approach roadway. No utilities will be impacted.

A legal notice at www.in.gov states the project will require approximately .80 acre of new permanent right-of-way, and .30 acre of temporary right-of-way for construction access. No displacement of residents or businesses will be involved with this project.