What You Can Do
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11 Most Endangered
Historic Bridges of Indiana
Year Listed: 2002
Location: , Indiana
Current Status: Saved
Threat: Poor Public Policy, Road Construction
Significance
From 1987 to 1999, poor planning and conflicting interests led to the loss of 62 percent of Indiana's metal bridges built between 1860 and 1930. While communities appreciate the historic value of their bridges, planners often recommend demolition before seeking local input. The end result: historic bridges are being torn down even though rehabilitation is generally cheaper than new construction.
Updates
In 2006 the Indiana Historic SPANs Task Force, coordinated by the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, facilitated the signing of a Programmatic Agreement (PA) regarding the management and preservation of Indiana's Historic Bridges between the Federal Highway Administration, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the Indiana Department of Transportation. One provision of the PA was a survey of all historic bridges constructed prior to 1966. This survey of over 6000 public bridges is currently underway and should be completed in 2008.
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