State Police have announced they will be joining the effort to keep trucks weighing more than ten tons off the Illinois Route 161 Extension Bridge over Skillet Fork Creek.
Marion County Highway Department Engineer Mike McCormick earlier made a plea to keep heavy trucks off the bridge because he feared it could fail. While he says the amount of truck traffic over ten tons has been reduced, not all trucks are staying off.
Those caught by State Troopers during the overweight enforcement will face hefty fines. Detour signage for trucks to take alternate routes is in place directing them around the bridge.
The bridge had already been reduced to one lane for decking repairs when the more serious problems were found with the structure that resulted in the ten-ton weight limit. McCormick is currently waiting for a repair solution to be approved so improvements to the bridge can begin. He’s hopeful once those improvements are made the ten-ton weight limit may be able to be lifted.
As a result of the damage, McCormick says they will begin the four to five-year process of replacing the bridge. He notes $1.2-million set aside for re-decking the bridge will now be used towards the multimillion-dollar construction of the new bridge.
