Road closed: Cline Avenue demolition nears halfway point
By Teresa Auch Schultz tauch@post-trib.com September 17, 2012 4:02PM
A portion of Riley Road is closed as crews demolish a part of the Cline Avenue bridge in East Chicago, Ind. Monday September 17, 2012. The Riley Road closure, in the area between Canal and Pine streets, is expected to remain closed, weather depending, through Friday, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: October 19, 2012 6:14AM
Demolition work on Cline Avenue is getting close to the halfway mark as crews shut down Riley Road in East Chicago this week to take down yet another section.
Matt Deitchley, a spokesman for the Indiana Department of Transportation, said work should be finished by the end of the year, with about 42 to 45 percent done now.
“As of right now, the demolition timeline is on schedule,” Deitchley said.
Crews with Walsh Construction Co. of Crown Point started tearing down the elevated bridge over the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal in May, after the company won an $8.9 million contract with the state.
This week work will focus on the area of the bridge over Riley Road, Deitchley said.
Because of that, Riley Road will be closed this week from Pine Street to Canal Street.
Deitchley said part of the reason the road will be closed is because they had to bring in a large crane to help with the job.
Riley Road was also closed in June because of the work. There are no other scheduled road closures, but Deitchley said that could change, especially if they need to bring the large crane in again.
The demolition of the bridge, which was closed in 2009 after the state found serious structural problems with it, will pave the way for the new replacement bridge, which private company United Bridge Partners will build and operate as a toll road.
Work on the new bridge, which is expected to cost $150 million, should start once the demolition of the old bridge is complete.
