Joint Statement from Mayor Tom McDermott and other officials regarding the closure of the Cline Avenue bridge.
The press release has been authorized by:
Mayor Tom McDermott (Hammond)
Mayor Joe Stahura (Whiting)
Mayor George Pabey (East Chicago)
Randy Palmateer (Northwest Indiana Building Trades)
On December 28, 2009, INDOT announced that, because of significant corrosion to the elevated span of the Cline Avenue Bridge, it would need to be immediately demolished. Despite the fact that INDOT had already planned a 2012 replacement of this bridge, that was projected to cost $95 million, they informed us on Monday that the bridge would not be replaced at all, and all traffic would be diverted onto the local roads in Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting. INDOT’s decision was in response to the emergency shutdown of the bridge in mid-November, when a consulting firm out of San Francisco determined there was a structural problem with the span and further testing needed to be done immediately.
Two days after INDOT’s announcement, the Mayors of Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting gathered with representatives from the Northwest Indiana Building Trades and Congressman Pete Visclosky’s office to discuss INDOT’s decision. The purpose of this meeting was the hope that we could develop a regional plan that we could jointly propose to INDOT to help them deal with the short-term problems posed from the closure of the Cline Avenue Bridge. We also want to work with INDOT to develop and implement an acceptable long-term plan regarding the replacement of the Cline Avenue Bridge. From our meeting, certain areas of agreement emerged:
- The cities of Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting, being the cities most affected with the traffic problems from the closure of the Cline Avenue Bridge, agree to work with INDOT to implement a short-term plan of action to help alleviate the traffic problems generated from the closure of the Cline Avenue Bridge.
- The cities have agreed to hire a traffic consultant, who will work jointly with all cities as well as with INDOT, to analyze and implement a regional traffic plan to deal with the increase in traffic generated from the closure of the Cline Avenue Bridge.
- The Cline Avenue bridge was originally built in 1986, at an elevation of approximately 90 feet. The reason for the 90 foot span was to accommodate the seagoing vessels that used to frequent the Indiana Harbor Canal in the late 1970’s and 1980’s (these vessels required clearances well over 70 feet tall). Because times have changed, and the seagoing traffic we saw in the 70’s and 80’s is now gone, the only traffic this canal sees is barge traffic. Barge traffic doesn’t need the same clearance that seagoing vessels required.
- Because the barge traffic clearances are so much lower than the seagoing vessels required, it is obvious that the 90 foot clearances of current structure is no longer required. We recommend studies to determine the replacement cost of the Cline Avenue Bridge at the 35 foot level instead. Because INDOT based their cost estimates on replacing the bridge at the 90 foot level, how much money could be saved by rebuilding it at the 35 foot level? Has this potential cost savings been analyzed? Or could we save money by making it a drawbridge instead? Has this cost analysis been considered?
- The millions of dollars we have invested in the Gary-Chicago Airport will be jeopardized because we are making it harder for customers from Chicago to utilize that airport. It has been a costly struggle for residents of Northwest Indiana to get the airport to the point it is in today, on the verge of expanding the runaways to accommodate commercial air traffic. Removing a convenient route for Chicagoans to use to get to the airport isn’t going to help attract potential customers to that airport.
- We feel that the casino industry, the third largest source of tax revenue for the State of Indiana, is negatively affected by INDOT’s decision as well. Already, revenues in all casinos in Northwest Indiana are down over 15% each. Although some of that can be attributed to the recession we are experiencing, much of that can also be blamed on the tortured routes Chicagoans must take to get to the riverboats in East Chicago and Gary. Because most of the traffic generated at the Gary and East Chicago riverboats comes from Cline Avenue, the permanent closure of this bridge will cost these boats greatly, costing Hoosiers across the state valuable needed revenues in a down economy.
- The group would like to remind our constituents that the $3 Billion expansion of BP Amoco is ongoing, and much extra traffic will be generated as a result of this mammoth expansion. We would like to point out that this summer, BP Amoco expects there will be over 3,000 contractors working on their expansion. How are we going to handle this increased traffic load? Does INDOT plan to use 129th Street? Calumet Avenue? Indianapolis Blvd? Dickey Road? These suggestions, in the short-term, are unattractive but necessary. However, in the long-term, these solutions are unacceptable.
We would like to remind everyone that INDOT is holding a public meeting on this topic to which we encourage all affected residents to attend and to voice your opinions and concerns. The event will be held at 9A.M. at East Chicago Central High School on January 9th, 2010. We hope to see a large turnout to let INDOT know that their plan is incomplete, lacking a long term solution. Hopefully we can put our petty differences aside and stand together to demonstrate to INDOT our resolve on this matter.
