By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Just in time for the start of school – the bridge is open!
With the beginning of the 2026-27 school year just days away, the Wendell Macklin Bridge on Monroe St. (and US 224) in Decatur was reopened on Thursday.
The bridge was closed April 27 and, at that time, it was speculated that the rehabilitation project could continue through the end of August.
Brooks Construction of Fort Wayne, however, was able to complete the work ahead of schedule!
The project involved a bridge deck overlay, a protective layer applied to repair damage and extend the bridge’s life, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT).
The reopening, however, brought a new, albeit brief, problem. The traffic light at Monroe and First streets, which was altered to flashing during the project, did not return to normalcy – with east-west traffic being held up for as much as five minutes on a red light.
City police directed traffic for a time while INDOT crews were notified and restored normal operation of the traffic signal by around 9:15 p.m.
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