Hawthorne Bridge Feb. 8 Inspection Will Impact Bridge Users

An inspection of the Hawthorne Bridge drawbridge will impact bridge users on Tuesday, February 8, between 9 a.m. and as late as 3:30 p.m.

As many as eight lifts of the drawbridge will be required during the inspection, which each lift lasting 10 to 15 minutes, nearly twice as long as a typical lift.

The lifts will allow a contractor to inspect the span guide wheels that keep the drawbridge in line with two support towers when it moves up and down. Crews will also inspect the steel cables that pull the drawbridge up and down. These parts are inspected regularly to ensure the 111-year-old bridge is in good operating condition. The Hawthorne is the oldest vertical lift bridge in the country still in operation.

There will be time between each bridge lift to clear traffic stopped on the bridge. Bridge users can avoid delays by using an alternate crossing such as the Morrison Bridge.