I-64 Wabash River Bridge

Bridge Hunters has several good views of this bridge. I got a grab shot while crossing the bridge that indicates the depth of the girders and the flare over the piers. (Actually, I was trying to get a picture of the RR bridge, but later I was impressed by the size of the girders.)

20140916 0037road

It was bad news to learn that the old steel truss bridges to the North and South of this bridge are no longer usable, but I was shocked to learn that this modern interstate bridge needs to be replaced. A 1985 flood caused an oxbow to be cutoff just north of this bridge and that cutoff increased the flow of the current on the Illinois side. That new flow is scouring the Illinois bank and destroying the I-64 bridge. Illinois has already paid $2.51 million for an emergency scour mitigation project on the piers. Illinois and Indiana are now working on an estimated $71 million project to replace the bridge. (CourierPress) Evidently Illinois tried to keep it a secret that the bridge was in trouble. (Navigator)

A link posted in May 2023 of a 2013 article: https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2013/07/01/i-64-bridges-over-wabash/44193688007/. According to some comments, it still hasn't been replaced.

Jun 5, 2025:

Illinois Department of Transportation posted three photos with the comment: "Exciting news, White County! Demolition of the westbound I-64 Wabash River bridge near Grayville is in full swing. The deck and steel beams are gone, and Stage 2 is moving forward. Completion is expected by fall 2028. Project details: https://idot.click/8tm"

The $136m project is to begin Aug 19, 2025, and it is expected to be completed in fall 2029.

1

2
[Note the Aban/IC/PD&E Bridge in the right background.]

3