The new State Road 57 bridge over the White River at Newberry in Greene County is now open for traffic. INDOT contractors officially opened the bridge on Wednesday.
The new seven-span, steel-beam bridge replaces two upstream bridges that opened to traffic in 1940. Since 2010, traffic signals had allowed only one direction to cross at a time due to structural concerns.
Although the new bridge has opened to traffic, construction will continue as crews demolish the old steel trusses. The north end of the old White River bridge will be retained as habitat for threatened bat species.
Ragle Inc. of Newburgh was awarded the $11.3 million construction contract in 2013.