INDIANAPOLIS — The historic 16th Street bridge is long overdue for some updates.
WATCH FULL STORY BELOW
Indy DPW plans to extend the life of the historic arch bridge and improve the aesthetics by addressing the spalling concrete in the arches, corbels and bridge deck.
But that could mean a two-year or more closure.
“That’s probably going to make a lot of people upset, the community. Like I said, this is an everyday thing," west sider Anaiya Williams said.
Williams commutes over the bridge daily.
“To work. The hospital down there. School — [Crispus] Attucks down there," she said.
Now, residents in neighborhoods like the near west side and Haughville are going to have to find alternate routes.
Neighbors started a petition called “Don’t Shut Us Out: Keep the 16th Street Bridge Open." They’re asking for the City of Indianapolis to keep one lane open in each direction for the full duration of construction, which is expected to begin later this year.
“Many customers come from this side. They cross the bridge and come to our gas station," Jaspreet Singh with Amaco Gas Station on 16th street said. “We lose a lot of business. We do a kitchen and chicken. We lose a lot of our customers that come from this [east of the White River] side.”
Across the street, Indy staple Long’s Bakery says the closure will also hurt their business.
They say a full closure means:
- Harder access for customers
- Major impact on jobs and small businesses
- Delays for emergency vehicles and daily commuters
Indy DPW provided the following statement to WRTV:
"The rehabilitation of the historic 16th Street Bridge is a project that been planned for several years. The project was delayed to prevent additional travel and mobility issues for residents and business during the closure of the 30th Street Bridge.
For decades, many bridges in Indianapolis were overlooked for maintenance, this includes 16th Street Bridge. This work is necessary to ensure safe travel across the bridge in the future.
Closing a historic bridge for two years or more for rehabilitation is a typical timeframe for public works departments across the country.
This timeframe is due in part to the specific requirements for historic infrastructure work as well as the complexities of the associated utility work.
Indy DPW is doing due diligence to investigate if any alternative timeframes are feasible.
When available, we will update the community with those findings."
Williams is staying positive.
“It’s gon’ be better, though. Know what I’m saying? Two years seems like a long time, but it’ll go by quick. Hopefully it’ll be back and better. No potholes," she said.
—
Nico Pennisi is the In Your Community reporter for Downtown Indy. He joined WRTV in October 2022. His passion has always been telling the stories of people who often get overlooked. Share your story ideas and important issues with Nico by emailing him at nico.pennisi@wrtv.com.
