City of Wichita officials announced today that the Broadway bridge – south of the John Mack Bridge – is closed after bridge inspections revealed deterioration under the deck.
The 800-foot long bridge is located approximately halfway between MacArthur and 31st Street South. It’s unkown how long the bridge will remain closed. A detour route has been established along 31st Street South, Seneca and MacArthur. A graphic is attached to the news release.
The four-lane bridge carries about 14,000 vehicles a day over Union Pacific railroad. It was last officially inspected in July 2004, when a 10-ton weight limit was implemented.
“The bridge had been posted with weight-limit signs, because of concerns about its aging condition,” Chris Carrier, Director of Public Works, said of the 70-year-old bridge. “Trucks exceeding the limit accelerated the deterioration. Motorists have been ignoring the weight limit.”
City officials have contacted state and federal officials regarding possible funding sources. The estimated cost to replace the bridge is 5 to 7 million, but repairing the bridge remains an option.
Engineers from Professional Engineering Consultants and the City discovered accelerated deterioration during a routine bridge inspection today. They were conducting a scheduled round of inspections that began in April.
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