Bridge becomes issue in State Rep. race - 14 News, WFIE, Evansville, Henderson, Owensboro

Bridge becomes issue in State Rep. race

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The bridge closed May 21st. The bridge closed May 21st.
POSEY CO., IN (WFIE) -

The closed New Harmony Bridge became a campaign issue Friday as two candidates for State Representative detailed their plans to reopen the bridge over the Wabash.

The bridge closed May 21st. Trent Van Haaften is the former District 76 State Representative trying to get his job back from incumbent Republican Wendy McNamara.

Van Haafften says it will take an act of Congress to transfer the title and ownership of the bridge to a willing state government.

Right now, the bridge is owned by the White County Bridge Commission which includes both Indiana and Illinois.

"I've worked for the bridge commission for a number of years and Dave Rice used to always say it's a tainted bridge. It taint ours and it taint yours either. It's time for Indiana to step up and recognize the importance of the bridge for New Harmony and southwest Indiana," Van Haafften said. 

"We are working on a solutions to this problem, but they are not easy, but I believe it is disingenuous to bring politics into this issue when they were not addressed when he was in office," McNamara said. 

McNamara says there will be a meeting next month among officials from both Indiana and Illinois to discuss how best to rehab and reopen the bridge.

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