BEDFORD— The Lawrence County Highway Department has closed the historic Armstrong Station Road bridge following a safety inspection conducted on June 19.
Officials say the inspection revealed structural concerns that make the bridge unsafe for travel. The department is currently evaluating possible repair options that would allow the bridge to reopen. However, due to the age of the structure, any reopening would maintain a 5-ton weight limit.
Built in 1915, the bridge — officially known as Lawrence County Bridge No. 107 — is listed as “Select” under Indiana’s Historic Bridge Inventory (IHBI). The designation identifies the bridge as a significant early example of a polygonal top chord Warren pony truss, a rare type in the state. The structure has been recognized for both its engineering and its representation of a significant phase in the work of a master builder.
According to a 2006 Programmatic Agreement on the preservation of Indiana’s historic bridges, the Armstrong Station span retains the historic integrity necessary to convey its design and engineering significance. Dr. James Cooper, in his book Iron Monuments to Distant Posterity, noted that Lawrence County preserved over half of Indiana’s remaining Warren polygonal chord pony trusses as of 1987.
The county must now determine whether repairs are feasible or if the bridge will need to be replaced entirely. Any replacement would require the historic bridge to be relocated to a public setting for reuse — a move that would depend on finding a party willing to manage the relocation process.
In the meantime, motorists are asked to use the designated detour route: Armstrong Station Road west to Fayetteville-Owen Road, then north on Indian Creek Road to Boon Hollow Road, and onward to State Road 58.
“We apologize for the inconvenience and are exploring all options to possibly reopen the bridge,” the highway department stated.
