Inspection Prompts City to Close Bridge

Highland Park officials closed the Cary Avenue pedestrian bridge last Friday after an inspection revealed weakness in the steel support structure, according to a press release issued by the city.

Structural engineering consultants have begun working on a plan to repair the bridge, according to the city. The bridge, which is located near the intersection of Cary Avenue and Rice Street, is closed indefinitely in the meantime.

“It looked to show signs of fatigue,” city engineer John Welch told the Highland Park News, which also reported that the bridge was inspected as part of an already planned improvement project.

The Highland Park News reports that the city would like to see the bridge repaired before the school year starts, since it is used by students.

A summer of closures

The closure comes during a summer when the city has also (it has since ) and the due to fire code violations. The city also recently began to repair its , many of which had not been sufficiently maintained, according to Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering.

"We will not allow your safety to be at risk," Rotering wrote to Patch about the hydrants. "We are working to protect your public safety and move our city in a positive direction."

City Councilman Paul Frank told Patch that new city staff members may be one of the reasons why there have been more inspections and more closures this summer. The city has a and will soon have a. It's also in the midst of searching for

"We have different staff in charge of different departments now and there may be different philosophies about what to do when something is deemed risky or unsafe," Frank said. "We agree with where city staff is heading."

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