An inspection report obtained by Call 6 Investigates shows there have been problems in the past with the Lauramie Creek Bridge on I-65 in Tippecanoe County.
Part of I-65 near mile marker 164 was shut down earlier this week when a large hole formed on the bridge.
Call 6 Investigates requested the report from the Indiana Department of Transportation, which last inspected the bridge on January 23, 2014.
The bridge was built in 1968 and reconstructed in 1987, records show.
“Deck is overall in satisfactory condition although it is borderline fair condition,” the inspector wrote in the 2014 inspection report.
The deck, foundation and supporting elements all earned a rating of “6” on a 0-9 scale.
The 2014 inspection noted the bridge’s approaches were in poor condition, from the pavement itself to the slabs and joints between the approaches and the deck.
All public-road bridges are inspected once every two years, according to INDOT spokesperson Will Wingfield.
“A bridge deck replacement project is scheduled for this bridge in 2017 as part of the $3.2 billion that INDOT plans to invest in bridge and pavement preservation over the next five years,” said Wingfield. “The project will replace the driving/wearing surface that developed a pothole on Wednesday. INDOT maintenance crews continue regular maintenance of the area.”
The inspection report included notes from 2002 that said a parapet wall of the Lauramie Creek Bridge was hit by a vehicle at the southeast corner, but Wingfield said that wouldn't have contributed to the current issue.
"It is important to remember that a parapet wall would not be related to the pavement that INDOT patched earlier this week," he said. "INDOT technical staff are working to determine the exact cause of the pothole. INDOT will continue to monitor and make additional repairs if necessary."
The report also said the bridge experienced a semi crash in the fall of 2007.
The hole was about 8 miles away from the Wildcat Creek Bridge on I-65 that was closed for weeks earlier this year when support piers began moving.
RELATED | CALL 6: Inspection reports show closed I-65 bridge had structural problems | I-65 reopens between Lebanon and Lafayette
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