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The Mauks Pond Bridge is a highly attractive state standard plan structure on account of its combination pony and through truss design, with a central through span flanked on each side by a pony truss approach span.
Indiana decided that the best way to deal with the nearby Mt. Carmel Bridge and the Maucks Pond Bridge, both beautiful and historically significant bridges, is to demolish them. Such a decision is a clear display of how broken both surface transportation and historic preservation policy truly is in the United States. Since a new bridge is under construction on a new alignment, the historic bridge is not in the way of anything. There is absolutely no reason or point to waste money demolishing this bridge!
With the new bridge constructed next to its replacement, demolishing this bridge serves no other purpose than to destroy history, waste taxpayer dollars, and fill the pockets of greedy scrap steel dealers who get to cash in on historic bridge tragedies such as this.
What should be done instead? The bridge is currently safe for vehicular traffic and has no extremely serious problems, and as such, the bridge could likely stand next to its replacement either for pedestrian use or completely abandoned as a historic relic, for decades to come even without preservation work done on it. As such, the bridge should be left standing next to its replacement. The money that would have been used to demolish the bridge could be used to make repairs to the worst conditions on the bridge.
Information and Findings From DHPA Historic Bridge SurveyStatement of Significance Except for added stiffening of the portal braces, the Parker span is a typical representative of the IDH's longest standard truss. It is, though, a late example of the prevailing design from 1921 into 1932. The Warren spans are also standard. The structure retains its original members, including latticed guardrails. Architectural Description The Indiana Department of Highways selected its
longest standard Parker through-truss and Warren pony-truss designs, as
well as its traditional concrete substructure and coped and paneled
approachh rails, for this setting. The structure consists of a 198'
Parker flanked by a 72' Warren approach on each end. Parker through truss Riveted 11 panels@18' 1 span,
198' Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: Yes |
This historic bridge has been demolished. This map is shown for reference purposes only.
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