CAIRO, IL (WSIL) � The U.S. 60/62 bridge spanning over the Mississippi River from Cairo Illinois to the Charleston Missouri area sees steady traffic throughout the day.
However, IDOT officials are in Alexander county for the next three days doing routine maintenance checks on the bridge.
"This is a safety inspection so we're looking to make sure the bridge is still safe,� said Casey Teckenbrock, IDOT District 9 Bridge maintenance engineer, “look for section loss, cracking, and other problems that would typically happen on a bridge this age."
The Cairo originally opened to traffic in 1929. By state and federal rules, maintenance is required to be conducted on the bridge every 12 months.
“It is that time of the year that we are inspecting that bridge,� said Teckenbrock. “This is a regularly scheduled inspection.�
Due to the equipment needed, I-DOT is closing the bridge to all traffic starting Monday. The bridge is scheduled to re-opened to traffic Thursday afternoon.
“The access equipment that we use for the inspection takes up more than a lane,� said Teckenbrock. “The bridge is narrow so we have to close all traffic to be able to safely inspect the bridge.�
The U.S. 60/62 bridge spanning over the Mississippi River from Cairo to the Charleston area is scheduled to close a couple times later in March.
Teckenbrock says because of the age of the bridge, several parts of the structure must be handled with a hands-on approach.
“It does have non-redundant steel tension members so that requires a hands-on inspection area of the bridge,� said Teckenbrock.
IDOT officials are asking those who need to access the bridge to use the alternative route.
“The detour down there is pretty simple and not too invasive,� said Teckenbrock
IDOT is asking drivers to take Interstate 57 to get to and from the Missouri area.
“Having the interstate bridge so close makes it convenient to close for an inspection,� said Teckenbrock.
The bridge will close again starting March 27 and reopen on the 30th. Teckenbrock explains the two closings
“The inspectors working the bridge work four 10 [hour shifts] so they’re working Monday through Thursday,� he said. “Then they go home for their weekend and come back again. It takes two weeks to get done.�
