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According to Ellen Mumford, Contract Support Section Chief with IDOT, the project has an estimated starting date of June 16. The project consists of replacing portions of the steel grid deck, substructure repairs, expansion joint replacement, bearing replacement, and cleaning and painting portions of the structural steel. IDOT reported that the bridge is estimated to be open to one lane traffic from June 16 to July 7. In that time frame, IDOT will install work platforms at piers, install false deck at piers, jack and crib, remove concrete at joints, repair concrete structure and super-structure, and remove bearings. IDOT anticipates the bridge will be closed completely to traffic from early to mid-August as they replace the steel decking, install new bearings, and continue the joint repair. Art Snyder, president of Civil Constructors, Inc., said the steel decking on the main span is a "priority item, since there is only one rolling mill in the United States that has the capability to produce this type of specialty product." The decking is made up of 8 ft. x 21 ft. spans that go all the way across the width of the bridge. Therefore, when removal of the old spans takes place, no traffic can cross until the new spans are installed. "The materials were ordered as soon as we had an idea that the project was a 'go,'" Snyder said. "The tentative delivery date is early August." "It would have been nice to start a project of this magnitude at an earlier date, but we can only do projects when the money is appropriated," Mumford said. "We'll do the best we can to work around any potential delays in materials delivery." If all goes as planned, the bridge will be open from mid-to-late September, with possible intermittent lane closures due to cleaning, painting, and other miscellaneous work on the decking. While viewing a slide presentation showing the major deterioration on the bridge, former Sabula mayor Al Mangler said, "No matter what happens, someone will be hurt by the timing of the closure. Business in general will suffer no matter what the date. But it's got to be done." Fred Bresett of Sabula told the audience that he may have his 11-passenger pontoon boat available for shopping excursions and other business transactions back and forth between the two cities. More details will be forthcoming. The IDOT Field Office will be located at 1203 Main Street in Savanna. For further information, contact Doug Happ, IDOT Construction Engineer, at 815-284-5339, or e-mail Ellen Mumford at ellen.mumford@illinois.gov.
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