Oliver Avenue Bridge

Indiana

Built 1925
Total Length 656'6"
Main Span 138'5"
Status Active

The Oliver Avenue Bridge, a closed-spandrel arch built in 1925, crosses the White River in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is listed on the National Register.

The Oliver Avenue Bridge is a five-span, closed-spandrel arch bridge that crosses the White River in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is designated as a Select Bridge on the Indiana Historic Bridge Inventory and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing structure within the Indianapolis Park and Boulevard System Historic District.

Constructed in 1925, [5] the eastern approach to the Oliver Avenue Bridge was realigned around 1966 to intersect with West McCarty Street. The structure underwent repairs in 2012. [3]

A major rehabilitation project, designed by RQAW | DCCM and USI Consultants, began in spring 2018 and was completed in spring 2020, with a total cost of $5.8 million. [1][2][3] The work included replacing exposed reinforcement bars, repairing deteriorated areas, addressing drainage and concrete deficiencies, and widening the roadway. [2][5] The approach to West McCarty Street, a reinforced concrete structure, was also replaced. [2] Construction on this component continued through August 2020.

In 2021, the rehabilitation project received an ACEC Indiana Engineering Excellence Award. [1]

Dimensions & Classification

Structural FormArch — Closed-spandrel
Primary MaterialConcrete
Total Length656'6"
Main Span138'5"
Number of Spans5
Span Lengths119', 126', 129'5", 126', 119'
Deck Width82'5" (1925); 82'5" (2020)
Roadway Width60' (1925); 58' (2020)
Vertical Navigational Clearance27'

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References for this location, in MLA format.

  1. “Oliver Avenue Over the White River.” RQAW | DCCM,
  2. “Major Transportation and Infrastructure Projects.” City of Indianapolis,
  3. “OLIVER AVENUE AND MCCARTY STREET BRIDGE REHABILITATION.” City of Indianapolis,
  4. “Bridge Rehabilitation Plans.” Indiana Department of Transportation, 2016.
  5. Marion County Bridge Number 3104. State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database, Department of Natural Resources, 1989.