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Semis found crossing Devil’s Backbone bridge
MT. MERIDIAN — An apparently new shortcut across Putnam County roads could begin taxing a relatively good bridge on the county inventory.
On Thursday, a local resident sent photos to Putnam County Commissioner Rick Woodall of two different tractor-trailers crossing the iron bridge on Devil’s Backbone Road (County Road 375 South) in southwestern Marion Township.
Reconstructed in 2006, Bridge 152 is a 118-year-old one-lane steel truss bridge with a wooden deck and is rated for 15 tons, a much higher rating than some similar structures in the county.
However, even an unloaded semi can weigh somewhere in this neighborhood, while state and federal law allow for as much as 40 tons at full capacity, well in excess of double the posted weight.
It’s been common recently to find commercial vehicles on county roads and city streets where they might not normally be due to U.S. 231 construction in Greencastle. However, the road in question does not seem to have anything to do with that particular project.
On the other hand, Airport Road to County Road 275 East/County Road 300 East has also become a common shortcut in recent years for those wanting to access the factories on the East Side of Greencastle without going through the city itself. While Devil’s Backbone offers an even shorter route to or from the east on U.S. 40, it is also a gravel road with multiple curves and hills as it enters and exits the valley of Deer Creek.
From the photos, one of the semi trailers is clearly marked as belonging to “Central Transport,” while the other is less clear.
The citizen who took the pictures questioned one of the semi drivers as to why this particular route was chosen. He reported that his dispatcher sent him that way.
County Engineer Jim Peck reported Monday morning that he inspected the bridge, which did not show any signs of damage from the overweight loads.
The incidents come on the heels of the Putnam County Council increasing the local wheel tax and motor vehicle excise surtax to their maximum amounts — $80 and $50 respectively — with the direction to highway department that the lion’s share of the funds be spent on bridge maintenance.
Unfortunately for local motorists, they could be footing the bill for the negligence of out-of-town transportation companies.