‘Tickled pink’

David Davis couldn’t wait to cross the new Heiney Road bridge.

For nine years, the old bridge was closed, forcing a detour from one field to another for the Wayne County farmer. Then, he watched this year as Brumbaugh Construction crews built the new two-lane bridge across the Whitewater River.

Although it wasn’t officially open yet, Davis, who wanted to be first across the new bridge, was permitted by crew members he now knew to drive across the structure June 19. Now that it’s open, “I’m tickled pink,” Davis said. “It was a real hassle the other way.”

The Whitewater River’s west fork meanders through Davis’ 124-acre farm along Heiney Road south of Hagerstown.

Having fields on both sides never bothered Davis, until a 2016 bridge inspection revealed crumbling concrete sides on the one-lane bridge built across the river in 1935. The bridge was immediately closed in spring 2016, and it’s remained closed year after year until construction began late last year.

Having no bridge was an inconvenience when Davis drove his red Jeep, but “machinery’s a whole different story,” he said. Instead of crossing the 166-foot bridge to move from a field on the river’s west side to an east-side field, farm machinery drove about three miles — along Heiney, Brick Church, Jerry Meyers and Treaty Line roads — on some narrow country roads.

“If it was your road closed, you’d want it open, too, especially with the farm situation,” Davis said.

But that wasn’t all. A small bridge on Brick Church between Heiney and Jerry Meyers was recently replaced, not only forcing Davis to turn west to go east, but then to turn north to go south. He’d drive through Henry County to visit Cambridge City.

The 2016 inspection that closed Heiney Road’s bridge also found 20 other structurally deficient bridges in Wayne County. Heiney Road’s bridge wasn’t among the top priorities, because Heiney is a short road connecting Brick Church and Treaty Line with just three residences. Only about 46 vehicles a day would use the road.

The county’s 10-year bridge plan attacked the deficient bridges, and eventually Heiney Road’s turn arrived. The $1.8 million project received $1.695 million in Indiana Department of Transportation funding.

“I’m certainly appreciative of getting it done finally,” Davis said.