INRD cuts ribbon on new White River Bridge

Indiana Rail Road Company and Venture Logistics win industrial development award.

Indiana Rail Road

Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Rep. Larry Bucshon (D-IN-8) and Indiana Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann celebrated August 20 at the grand opening of Indiana Rail Road's (INRD) new White River Bridge.

The new steel-girder and pre-stressed concrete bridge, located two miles north of Elnora, Ind., represents a $14-million investment that will support commerce and economic development from Daviess County to the Ohio River for another century.

The new structure will handle trains at 40 mph and loads of 286,000 pounds, keeping southern Indiana shippers competitive in the global marketplace. The previous pin- connected truss bridge was built in 1899 and, in recent years, had weight restrictions and a speed limit of 10 mph due to its age.

“We look at this (bridge) as such a critical part of the growth of southern Indiana,” said Sen. Donnelly. “You hear a lot of stories about partisan politics, but this is a perfect example of everybody working together, making sure our communities thrive and grow.”

INRD President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Mills said the new bridge makes possible numerous business development opportunities for the railroad and the region.

“Thanks to our Odon Transload’s close proximity to Naval Support Activity Crane and Interstate 69, we see a host of economic development opportunities for the town of Odon and the entire I-69 corridor,” Mills said. “With a combination of superior customer service and aggressive co-marketing of the region with our local partners, we can bring a lot of opportunities for growth.”