~ Bloomington City Takes Action to Ensure Public Safety by Closing County Bridge

In response to a recent inspection of Bridge 317 on W. Club House Drive at Old State Road 37, the City of Bloomington has taken immediate action to ensure public safety. The inspection, conducted by the County and shared with the City, revealed concerning findings that prompted the closure of the road leading to the County's bridge.

Effective immediately, the road leading to the bridge will be closed and no vehicles will be allowed to use it until further notice. This decision was made in the interest of public safety and will be brought before the Board of Public Works for formal action at their next meeting on May 19, 2026.

To notify drivers and other users of the closure, the City has replaced existing County signage with new closure signage. Andrew Cibor, City Engineer, emphasized that public safety is always their first priority and this closure is a direct response to the County's notification of their inspection findings.

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While Lower Cascades Park and its amenities remain open, vehicle access to certain areas such as Sycamore Shelter, Cascades Golf Course, and Lions Den Shelter at Upper Cascades Park will only be available from the west via Kinser Pike to Clubhouse Drive.

The issue of ownership and responsibility for certain bridges within Bloomington city limits has been a topic of discussion between the City and Monroe County Commission. On May 14, 2026, following changes to Indiana Code 8-17-1-46, the County attempted to transfer ownership of two bridges over 20 feet long within city limits to Bloomington. However, the City does not agree with this transfer as they believe it does not fall under their responsibility according to Indiana law.

The City stated in a letter dated May 8, 2026 that any bridge within corporate city limits with a span length equal or less than 20 feet is the responsibility of the municipality to maintain. Bridge 317, which falls under the County's naming system and has County signage for weight restrictions, does not meet this criteria.

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Recent changes to a different section of the law have created uncertainty regarding county responsibilities for bridges that have not been inspected prior to January 1, 2024, or officially added to the county's inventory list after December 31, 2024. The City believes this creates a gap in coverage for bridges that are too long to be considered City bridges.

Before these changes were implemented on July 1, 2025, Bridge 317 was under Monroe County's responsibility regardless of documented inspections or formal acceptance into their inventory. The bridge was also inspected earlier this month by the County and had its weight limit lowered to nine tons.

The City acknowledges that locating historical records can be difficult and has been in discussions with the County to find a resolution. However, they do not concede ownership or responsibility for Bridge 317 by taking immediate public safety action or bringing it before the Board of Public Works.

The City appreciates the public's cooperation and patience during this time while they evaluate the bridge's condition and determine next steps. Any concerns about the safety of Bridge 317 or funding for bridge maintenance should be directed to the Monroe County Board of Commissioners.

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