Need for Replacement Bridge

From the Vincennes Commercial April 24, 1921, opinions by the Chamber of Commerce indicated that steps should be taken immediately to prevent the complete closing of the (Main Street) bridge over the Wabash river thus throwing all traffic across the river upon the ferries, and stopping a large amount of the traffic.

The opinion of the engineers was that the bridge could be repaired by the installation of a new flooring system and removal of excess weight. However, with the repairs suggested, it would still be necessary to restrict traffic to the extent that vehicles could cross the bridge going only in one direction at a time, and not more than five automobiles were to be allowed on the bridge at one.

The city engineer stated that the bridge had been condemned for a number of years and that during the past two years had been considered in such an unsafe condition that it had been necessary to keep a workman on hand constantly in addition to the bridge watchman to patch the structure when the floor gave way under the traffic or the joists broke. Little of the original structure remained in 1932.

On January 1, 1925, the Sumner Press noted after several reports of shakiness, that the old Bridge sometimes called the Main Street Bridge, across the Wabash would do well to hold up until the new one was built. Restriction on traffic was imposed by the state highway engineer limiting the weight of any vehicle to two tons. The former restriction was three tons.

Tomorrow: the Lincoln Memorial Bridge