Two Bridges in Channahon Ruled Structurally Deficient

Transportation for America has determined that two bridges in the Village of Channahon are structurally deficient. Unfortunately, the village cannot do much about it.

"It's still the state that maintains them," Channahon Village Manager Joe Pena said.

The two bridges pin pointed within village limits are on West Frontage Road and River Road. The bridge on Frontage crosses the I & M Canal and is near Shepley Road. It is not a highly traveled route, with the transportation for America site estimating traffic at 2,000 cars per day. That bridge was built in 1956. The bridge on River Road crosses Interstate 80 and was built in 1960. It carries 1,600 cars per day.

The Web site, that classifies all the bridges in the village has deemed the Route 6 bridge over Interstate 55 as in good condition. It was built in 1989 and supports 16,300 cars a day.

Pena said that the conversations village board members and Village President Joe Cook have had about the Route 6 bridge have more to do with traffic flow than with the structural health of the bridge itself.

"We're talking about it from the standpoint of the Frontage Road and on and off ramps," Pena said. "We're concerned about building it up for additional traffic."

The Route 6 bridge over Interstate 55, though is part of a phase two traffic study by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Which bridges in town worry you when you drive over them? Tell us in the comments.

Watch Patch in the coming days for a story on the structurally deficient bridges in Minooka.

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