Robert N. Stewart Bridge

The Robert N. Stewart Bridge carries eastbound Indiana State Route 46 over the East Fork of the White River in Columbus, Indiana.

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The Robert N. Stewart Bridge carries eastbound Indiana State Route 46 over the East Fork of the White River in Columbus, Indiana.

History

The first bridge at Second Street, referred to as the Tipton Bridge, was built in 1884. ^{4 8} That structure, a Pratt through truss, was closed on September 15, 1949, after a pier on the east bank of the river became undermined. ⁴ Traffic was diverted to the similarly aged Lowell Bridge, which soon deteriorated to the point that it also required closure for repairs. Four days after the Second Street Bridge closed, the state allocated $1 million for a replacement span. Construction began in December 1949, and a new bridge along the Third Street alignment opened on September 15, 1951.

Planning for a new bridge to accommodate increasing traffic in Columbus initially focused in the early 1980s on constructing a parallel span along Third Street. ⁹ In April 1988, the city expressed a preference for a more southerly alignment along Second Street. That September, however, the state announced its preference for the original Third Street proposal, citing concerns about excavating the former city landfill along the river that was in operation from the 1930s to the mid-1960s, and the lower cost of right-of-way acquisition. ^{9 10}

In 1989, a $5 million bridge was proposed along Second Street with a projected completion date of 1992. ^{7 9} Under the plan, the existing Third Street (Tipton) Bridge would be reconfigured to carry westbound State Route 46 traffic, while the new bridge would carry eastbound traffic.

Plans were finalized in early 1993, as remediation of the former city landfill and right-of-way acquisitions neared completion. ⁸ By that time, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) had awarded a contract for placing fill on the west approach. A project letting was scheduled for May 1993, with construction anticipated to be completed by 1996. ¹⁰

Delays also arose from environmental concerns related to cleanup at the former landfill. ¹⁰ Specifically, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management expressed concern that compacting soil for the new roadway could cause landfill materials to migrate to the surface. After a lengthy study, officials determined that the landfill contents did not pose a hazard. Roadway construction proceeded in 1994, and although early measurements by INDOT and the city indicated some initial ground movement, the settlement later stabilized.

Additional delays stemmed from financing challenges, as the city struggled to raise the $6 million in non-federal funds required for the project. ¹⁰ A complex design by Emilio Ambasz—featuring a high-rise bridge with panoramic views of downtown and prominent floral elements—was ultimately abandoned after projected costs exceeded $10 million. ¹¹ Even revised versions of that design remained estimated at $8.5 million.

In July 1995, new designs prepared by J. Muller International, based on a cable-stayed suspension design, were unveiled, reducing projected costs by approximately $3.5 million. ^{1 11} Construction began by Milestone Contractors in 1996, ⁵ and the fully suspended structure, supported by 40 fan-shaped cables, cost $10.5 million. ^{1 5 7} A public “bridge party” was held on May 8, ^{3 6} and the bridge opened to automobile traffic on May 10. ^{3 7}

In 2012, City Engineer Dave Hayward worked with two Indianapolis firms to install colored architectural lighting on the bridge. ^{1 2} The following year, Governor Mike Pence officially renamed the structure the Robert N. Stewart Bridge in honor of Stewart, a three-term mayor of Columbus.

The bridge was constructed as part of the $44 million Front Door Project, a comprehensive effort to improve connections between downtown Columbus, State Route 46, and Interstate 65, and to create a prominent gateway to a city known for its architectural heritage. ^{2 5} The project included completion of the new Second Street Bridge in 1998; replacement of the Third Street Bridge deck to carry westbound State Route 46 traffic at a cost of $1 million in 1999; widening and elevating State Route 46 between downtown and the East Fork of the White River to three lanes in each direction between 1999 and 2000 at a cost of $9.5 million; reconstruction of the State Route 46 interchange at Interstate 65; and improvements to State Route 46 west of Interstate 65 between 1995 and 1996 at a cost of $2.4 million.

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Gallery

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Details

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Sources

1. “About the Bridge.” City of Columbus, Indiana, 2024.
2. “Robert N. Stewart Bridge.” Indiana Architectural Database, 24 Oct. 2018.
3. “Bridge party planned.” The Republic, 24 Apr. 1999, pp. A1-A10.
4. McCawley, Harry. “Drivers resorts to foot when old bridge closed.” The Republic, 9 Sept. 1999, p. B4.
5. Saunders, Leslie. “Final touches ready 2nd St. bridge.” The Republic, 4 Apr. 1999, pp. A1-A10.
6. Vollmer, Sabine. “Party opens bridge.” The Republic, 7 May 1999, pp A1-A14.
7. Burnette, Andy. “Bridge reflects ‘strive for best’.” The Republic, 9 Sept. 1999, pp. A1-A6.
8. “State of the City.” The Republic, 4 Feb. 1993, p. B4.
9. Gill, Joseph B. “Westside bridge, golf plans detailed.” The Columbus Herald, 22 Sept. 1989, p. 1.
10. Schoettle, Anthony. “Transition troubles.” The Republic, 2 Nov. 1994, p. A1.
11. Schoettle, Anthony. “Savings by design.” The Republic, 18 Jul. 1995, p. A1.