The Elkhart County Highway Department, with funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and administrative oversight from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), is developing plans for the proposed County Road (CR) 26 over Baugo Creek Bridge Improvement project (Des. No. 1902829) located along CR 26 at Bridge No. 20-00145, approximately 0.20 mile west of CR 22, near Jamestown, in Baugo Township, Elkhart County, Indiana.

 

The purpose of this project is to improve the condition of Bridge No. 20-00145 by increasing the inventory load rating to 36; increasing the bridge sufficiency rating from 40.9 to at least an 80 out of 100; improving the bridge to meet the standard clear roadway width of 30 feet; and improving the bridge and roadway to meet standard horizontal and vertical sight distances. The need for the project is evidenced by the deteriorating condition of Bridge No. 20-00145 which includes a bridge inventory rating of 26 (36 is required); a substandard sufficiency rating of 40.9 (structurally deficient); and substandard geometry of the roadway. The sufficiency rating takes into account bridge condition, geometry, traffic and how well the waterway passes under the bridge.

 

The proposed project will replace the existing CR 26 over Baugo Creek bridge (Bridge 20-00145) and realign CR 26 to meet horizontal and vertical sight distance standards. The existing 71-foot long, single span, prestressed concrete box beam bridge will be replaced with a 97-foot, 6-inch composite prestressed concrete hybrid bulb-tree beam bridge. The out-to-out coping width of the new superstructure will be 35-feet with a clear roadway width of 32-feet. The bridge will have a 13-degree skew and the center of the bridge will be shifted approximately 16-feet south. The vertical alignment of the bridge and roadway will be raised by approximately 4-feet to meet vertical site distance standards and have a superelevation of 4%. The existing bridge abutments will be removed and replaced. Class I riprap over geotextile will be installed at the bridge abutments for scour protection and across the stream channel. Additionally, riprap drainage turnouts with sodding strips and riprap keyways will be installed for drainage.

 

The bridge typical section will consist of two 11-foot-wide travel lanes (one eastbound, one westbound) bordered by 5-foot-wide paved shoulders and 1-foot, 4-inch-wide concrete bridge rails. The existing approach slabs will be removed and replaced. The typical section of the new approach slabs east and west of the bridge will consist of two 11-foot-wide travel lanes (one eastbound, one westbound) bordered by 5-foot, 4-inch-wide paved shoulders. Guardrail will be replaced along both sides of the roadway approaching the bridge. The roadway will be realigned east and west of the bridge to meet horizontal site distance standards, which will shift the roadway a maximum of approximately 12-feet south. Adjacent drives will be reconstructed to tie-in to the realigned roadway. The roadway typical section will consist of two 11-foot-wide travel lanes (one eastbound, one west bound) bordered by 2-foot-wide paved shoulders.

 

The proposed construction of this project will require approximately 2.19 acres of new permanent right-of-way and approximately 0.87 acre of temporary right-of-way. No relocations are anticipated as a result of the proposed project.

 

The maintenance of traffic (MOT) plan will include a full road closure with a detour utilizing SR 19, CR 28, and CR 3. The detour will close CR 26 to through traffic between CR 22 and CR 3. The approximately 3-mile detour will be in place for approximately 8 months. Access to all properties within and adjacent to the project limits will be maintained at all times during project construction. School corporations and emergency services will be notified of closures prior to construction. The proposed start of construction is February 2025. 

 

The cost associated with this project is approximately $2,848,841 which includes preliminary engineering, right-of-way, construction with both federal and local funds anticipated to be used.