About State Line Bridge
The State Line Road Bridge carried State Line Road over the Kankakee River at the boundary of Kankakee County, Illinois, and Lake and Newton counties, Indiana. It was also known as Newton County Bridge No. 173 and Lake County Bridge No. 36.
History
The pin-connected Pennsylvania through truss was built circa 1900 and originally spanned the Kankakee River just south of present-day Illinois Highway 17 near the village of Sun River Terrace. [1][2] In 1924, it was moved to its current location. Because of structural deterioration, the bridge was closed to traffic in August 1999. [2]
Plans were later developed to replace the bridge with a new, higher span at an estimated cost of $618,000. Incorporating pieces of the historic bridge into the new structure would have added more than $600,000 to that estimate. [3] By comparison, raising and rehabilitating the existing bridge was estimated to cost $368,000.
A 2012 proposal to repair the State Line Road Bridge alongside the replacement of the Range Line Road Bridge over the Kankakee River fell through when the only bid received greatly exceeded cost estimates. [2]
In June 2022, Guilford Township in Hendricks County notified the Lake County Highway Department that it was interested in acquiring the State Line Road Bridge. [2] The township proposed dismantling the structure, rehabilitating its components, and reassembling it in Hummel Park in Plainfield.
The bridge is scheduled to be dismantled in 2026. [4][5] Its removal is expected to alleviate a drainage obstruction and eliminate a persistent flood hazard caused by the bridge’s restriction of the Kankakee River’s flow. The structure will be offered for reassembly elsewhere, most likely in a park where its history can be interpreted for visitors. [5]
Structure
Dimensions & Classification
| Structural Form | Through Truss — Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Primary Material | Steel |
| Total Length | 224' |
| Deck Width | 16'3" |
| Roadway Width | 15'10" |
| Vertical Clearance | 19' |
| Connections | Pin-connected |
Photographs
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Sources & Citations
References for this location, in MLA format.
- “Newton County Bridge Number 173, Lake County Bridge Number 36.” Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD), 1984.
- Carden, Dan. “Aged bridge may be repurposed.” The Times, 17 Jun. 2022.
- Gruszecki, Debra. “Concerns rise over bridge's fate.” The Times, 17 Jan. 2003.
- “Commission celebrates its successes in reducing risks for flooding.” La Porte County Herald-Dispatch, 9 Jan. 2026.
- Ross, Doug. “State Line Bridge to be moved, disassembled.” Post-Tribune, 22 Jun. 2005.
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