Bridge intact, Harco road may reopen next week

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Saline County Highway Department thinks Harco Road will be completely passable again by early next week.

The bridge on Harco Road spanning the Middle Fork of the Saline River remains intact and usable once some repairs are made to it.

The section of road between Netty Green Road and Johnston City Road has been closed since May 5 when the longwall mining operation of American Coal passed beneath it. Officials anticipated the stress on the bridge from subsidence could destroy it as has happened in previous instances. The settling was not as severe as anticipated, according to Saline County Highway Engineer Jeff Jones who had predicted all the settling would be complete by about May 9.

"I just got back from meeting with the structural engineer who determined the bridge was in good shape," Jones said Monday afternoon.

"But it does need some repair before it opens."

One of the north abutments has moved and a roller bearing will need to be repaired.

"Those will delay its opening a few more days," Jones said.

Cracking in the pavement due to the wave of subsidence will also need fixed. A part of the road is about a foot lower than other parts. That will require raising the road and smoothing it.

Still, after the initial anticipation the bridge would be unusable for perhaps as long as a year the engineer's report is relieving.

"Now we know it can be opened," Jones said.