Covered bridge in trouble?
While work progresses on James span, Scipio project faces funding problems
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Bryce Mayer
While work is progressing on rehabilitating the James Covered Bridge near Lovett, plans for renovating an equally historic span in Jennings County, the Scipio Covered Bridge, have been dealt a setback.
"The status of the Scipio Covered Bridge project is not good," said Jennings County Commissioner Matt Sporleder (R-District 3). "I'm not going to lay the blame on anyone. But the county may be forced to find a way to pay more to get the project completed."
The commissioners recently learned that the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) dropped the Scipio project from its list of priority bridge projects, an action that stunned Sporleder. INDOT's move means that federal dollars for the project, which includes construction of a new modern bridge alongside the Scipio Covered Bridge across Sand Creek, are in jeopardy. The total estimated price tag for that project is over $500,000, of which over 90 percent was expected to be paid by federal funds.
"We had a public hearing with INDOT in February and everything seemed to go well," Sporleder related. "I thought we were moving along well. Then just days after the hearing, we received notification that INDOT is dropping the project from their list because it had drug on for so many years."
Planning began 13 years ago for the Scipio bridges project. That includes not only renovation of the covered bridge, which was constructed in 1886, but the construction of a "bypass" span adjacent to the old bridge to carry heavy vehicular traffic.
"We are so far into it, the county has already spent tens of thousands of dollars [the actual amount is $101,3000) for the Scipio bridges]," Sporleder said. "Kathy Eaton-McKalip (head of the INDOT district that includes Jennings County) told me she would try to get us back on their list, but I don't think we have a choice but to continue the project on course with the chance it might not get federal funding. If that happens, the county will have to step up to the plate and spend more on the project."
Former commissioner Jeff Barger, who left office after losing a re-election bid last November, criticized FPBH, a North Vernon consulting firm involved in extensive planning for both covered bridge projects.
"Each one of these projects should have taken five years maximum (to procure federal funding)," Barger said in December. "I know. I've done my research."
Dan Wright of FPBH disagreed, noting the required planning because of the historic nature of the covered bridges takes much longer than conventional bridge projects.
The good news now, however, is that Sporleder expects the county to receive around $1 million for road infrastructure repair from the new state budget.
"In my opinion, the Scipio bridges and the Bruce Hill bridge (on CR 765E south of Butlerville) have to be the priorities," Sporleder said. "It would be great if we could spend more money on resurfacing roads, but we desperately need those bridges. We may not like it, but we can travel over rough roads. School buses and farm equipment can't go over the Bruce Hill bridge (where there is a 2-ton weight limit because of repairs needed), and fire trucks and other heavy vehicles can't go over the Scipio Covered Bridge."
Meanwhile, work began last month on rehabilitation of the James Covered Bridge, an 1887 span that crosses Graham Creek on CR 625S. Janssen and Spaans Engineering of Indianapolis is the contractor. According to Jason Fee of Janssen and Spaans, the work is a complete rehabilitation of the bridge involving the replacement of lumber, a new roof and paint. The bridge should be finished sometime in June with the total price tag at $336,000.
"These covered bridges are engineering marvels," Sporleder said. "Considering the lack of technology when they were built over 100 years ago and how they were constructed is amazing. We owe it to future generations to repair and keep these covered bridges open