INDOT crews have added a heavy-duty crane to the temporary structure - adding what officials call additional redundancy - to the Purdue University Fort Wayne pedestrian bridge crossing Coliseum Boulevard.
According to INDOT spokeswoman Nichole Thomas, the cranes are in addition to a pier placed late this summer to provide additional support to the bridge.
Under construction since the spring of 2017, the $4.5 million bridge was scheduled to be open in late 2018.
The bridge’s completion has been delayed for additional testing and evaluation, which has revealed the need for further work. Most recently, some welds on the support that were found to be ineffective.
In March 2018, a pedestrian bridge collapsed over a highway in Florida, killing six and injuring 10.
Thomas said INDOT officials keep that tragedy in their minds as they work to make sure the PFW structure is safe.
While the bridge connects PFW to the IVYTech campus on the southside of Coliseum, the structure is being built and belongs to the Indiana Department of Transportation.
The contractor will work on the welds in the spring, and there is no timeframe for its opening. The crane’s addition makes sure it will remain sturdy over the winter’s freeze, thaws and winds, Thomas said.
She stressed both the bridge and the heavily-traveled road below are safe.
