Lincoln Memorial Bridge to Close January 9 for Restoration Work

Vincennes- The Lincoln Memorial Bridge, located in Knox County, Indiana on State Highway  441, will be closed to traffic beginning Jan. 9 and will remain closed till April 30. The bridge connects  Indiana and Illinois across the Wabash River. Detour signage will direct traffic to State Highway 50 and  the Red Skelton Bridge. The bridge closure will allow contractors to remove the decorative stonework of  the bridge approach on the Indiana side. While George Rogers Clark National Historic Park will remain  open throughout the construction, some pedestrian areas in the park will remain closed for safety during  the construction. 

The bridge approach, which is within the George Rogers Clark National Historic Park, is faced with granite four to six inches thick attached to a concrete substructure by wrought iron anchors and pins.  Weather and water over the past 90 years have deteriorated the iron anchors and stained the beautiful stone  surface. The deterioration of the anchors, and failure of some, has allowed stone movement prompting the National Park Service to close some pedestrian areas in 2018. During the winter of 2022 one of the stones, weighing approximately 700 pounds, fell from its place about 12 feet above the ground.  

The continued deterioration of the anchors represents a safety issue and endangers the historical integrity  of the structure. The work to restore the approach will begin on Jan. 9, 2023. Contractors will remove all the stonework; an estimated 1600 pieces of stone will be handled. Each stone will be inspected,  inventoried, numbered, mapped and securely stored. Temporary storage will be on the French Commons near the intersection of 3rd and Willow Streets. Drivers are cautioned to watch for vehicles and equipment  on 2nd street between the work site and the storage area.  

It is anticipated that replacement of the stone will begin later in 2023. Each stone will be cleaned and  repaired if needed. It will then be transported back to the construction site, reattached with new anchors in  the exact place from which it was removed. Information about the time frame for this work will be posted on the park website www.nps.gov/GERO, once it has been established.