New Hope Bridge

The New Hope Bridge is a through-truss structure that carries County Route 400 North over the Flatrock River in Bartholomew County, Indiana.

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The New Hope Bridge (Bartholomew County Bridge No. 133) is a through-truss structure that carries County Route 400 North over the Flatrock River in Bartholomew County, Indiana. Its name is derived from the nearby New Hope Church, founded shortly after the Civil War by James M. Perry to serve residents of the southeastern German and southwestern Flatrock townships. ¹ It has also been referred to as the Tinkey Bridge. ³

History

Before 1908, county maps did not show an east–west road along the present route of County Route 400 North. ¹ Farmers in the area forded the Flatrock River elsewhere to reach Columbus. In May 1911, Benjamin I. Perry, son of James, organized a petition requesting an improved gravel road from the State Road, predecessor to U.S. Route 31, eastward to the Columbus and Flatrock Pike. ^{1 2} The county appointed surveyor Henry C. Deist as civil engineer and named Frank Edwards and Charles Massie as viewers. Their report recommended construction.

On September 4, the County Commissioners received two bids for the work. ^{1 2} The lowest bid, $20,725, came from Joseph T. Meredith, a Petersville farmer and part-time road contractor known for his work on the Trotter and W. T. Rominger roads. He was awarded the contract, and Benjamin Perry was appointed superintendent of construction. Although the contract contained no specific bridge provisions, the bridge was completed in 1913.

The completed structure consisted of a wholly riveted, two-span Pratt through truss, most likely fabricated by the Caldwell & Drake Iron Works of Columbus. ^{1 2} Local contractor Joseph T. Meredith constructed the concrete abutments and pier.

Caldwell & Drake held a national reputation for fabricating metal structures and was one of the few firms in the region capable of producing large trusses. ¹ It had a national reputation, having built the West Baden Springs Hotel in 1901, whose dome exceeded the diameter of the U.S. Capitol’s, and completed more than twenty buildings for the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, along with numerous state capitols, university buildings, government buildings, and courthouses.

In late May 1978, county officials discussed alternatives for improving the New Hope Bridge crossing to address flooding that regularly inundated County Route 400 North as it passed through the Big Slough. 5 Because reconstruction or replacement of the New Hope Bridge would require work within the Big Slough, a consultant advised that such options would likely face environmental challenges and public opposition. The consultant instead recommended constructing a new roadway to connect County Routes 550 North and 50 West north of New Hope.

Cost estimates reflected the scale of each option. ⁵ Building a new bridge between County Routes 550 North and 50 West was projected at $1.1 million, with an additional $100,000 for design and $25,000 for right-of-way acquisition. Reconstructing the New Hope Bridge and raising County Route 400 North was estimated at $2 million, while rebuilding the bridge alone was estimated at $1.3 million.

Ultimately, a new bridge over the Flatrock River on County Route 550 North was completed in 1983.

Rehabilitation

In 1990, the New Hope Bridge was closed to traffic because of structural deterioration. ³ By 1997, restoration costs were estimated at $476,000. The proposed work included replacing the concrete roadway deck and supports, replacing the west abutment, repairing several rusted areas and the east abutment, repainting the structure, installing new guardrails, rehabilitating the roadway approaches, and raising the west approach by one foot. The county had received preliminary approval for $216,000 in federal historic bridge funds, with the remaining $260,000 to be covered by local property taxes.

Some residents opposed the project because of its cost and the bridge’s relatively low usage. ^{3 4} Its average daily traffic was recorded at 270 vehicles. ⁴

The Indiana Department of Transportation opened bids for the rehabilitation project in August 1998. ⁷ Although the work had been estimated at $370,000, ⁸ the lowest bid—$639,000 from Milestone Contractors LP of Columbus—was accepted after new cost proposals were requested. ^{6 8} The increased cost reflected higher material prices and the need for additional repairs. ⁶ Rehabilitation of the New Hope Bridge began in October 1998.

After rehabilitation, the bridge reopened on June 12, 1999. ⁴ The final cost was $640,000, higher than the original estimate because additional repairs were required. The project included a new deck, new floor beams, replacement of some truss members and repairs to others, and the repouring of several footers. Eighty percent of the funding came from the Federal Highway Administration’s transportation enhancement program, with the remainder covered by the county’s cumulative bridge fund supported by local property taxes.

The New Hope Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in September.

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Gallery

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Details

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Sources

1. Thayer, Laura, James Cooper, Monica Fry, and Marc Holma. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: New Hope Bridge. Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, 10 Nov. 1998. United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service.
2. Cooper, James L. County Commissioners among Engineers and Industrialists: Bartholomew County’s Pugh Ford (#73) and New Hope (#133) Bridges. Oct. 1993.
3. DuVall, Ryan. “Bridge work raises citizen concerns.” The Republic, 20 Feb. 1997, p. A8.
4. Burnette, Andy. “Ready to reopen.” The Republic, 1 Jun. 1999, p. A5.
5. “New Hope Bridge Alternatives Talked.” The Columbus Herald, 2 Jun. 1978, p. 1.
6. “400N bridge repair begins after 8 years.” The Republic, 26 Sept. 1998, p. A8.
7. Lohrmann, Shannon. “State bidding set for New Hope Bridge project.” The Republic, 14 Jul. 1998, p. A8.
8. “County makes no progress on land use plan.” The Republic, 25 Aug. 1998, p. A8.