After finding more damage than anticipated, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works has decided to rebuild the nearly 100-foot West Washington Street Bridge over Little Eagle Creek for $5 million.
The tab is twice as high as initially expected as the scope of the work has ballooned. The DPW announced Jan. 31 that a bridge inspection found that over 70% of the arch and spandrel walls, which help keep the bridge stable, are severely deteriorated and cannot be saved.
Due to the damage, the DPW will tear down the bridge and build a new foundation, arch, pavement, sidewalks and railings. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
City officials once hoped the bridge needed a more minor rehabilitation. The project, which began last spring, was initially expected to cost about $2.5 million and be completed last September. Once officials realized the bridge needed more work than anticipated, though, construction came to a halt.
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Commuters the past year have been enduring a 2.5-mile detour around the construction site, which extends from the West Washington Street intersections from Rockville Road to Tibbs Avenue.
The construction has also affected businesses near the bridge, several of which recently told Mirror Indy that the construction was preventing customers from reaching them. Some business owners launched a petition, which gathered over 1,000 signatures, to urge the city to speed up work.
Interim DPW Director Sam Beres said the reconstruction plan is necessary for safety and asks for patience.
“Indy DPW understands the disruptive nature of construction,” Beres said in a news release. “However, we are confident that the full reconstruction is in the best interest of public safety.”
Bridge demolition is expected to begin this week.
Mirror Indy reporter Enrique Saenz covers west Indianapolis. Contact him at 317-983-4203 or enrique.saenz@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on Bluesky at @enriquesaenz.bsky.social.
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