Friday evening the lights on the historic footbridge were lit for the first time and Monday evening, Mayor Mark Senter told members of the Common Council he has received his first complaint.
Mayor Senter said a woman called and complained that the lights on the East Laporte Street bridge are too bright. He said they will look into a dimmer possibly or placing them on a timer situation.
City Attorney Sean Surrisi said the bridge renovation project isn’t completed yet and he will express the city’s concerns with the project manager from the Lochmuller Group to see if there is a solution to the complaint.
City Councilman Randy Longanecker works for Michiana Contracting. He told the council that Michiana had to replace one of the rope light strings prior to the electricity being turned on because someone had cut it. Since the lights were lit on Friday there has been a second act of vandalism another strand of lights has been cut.
Police Chief Dave Bacon said additional security measures will be taken to try and catch the vandals.
The renovation project is on the historic footbridge that was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. It was built in 1898 and is the oldest pedestrian suspension bridge still in use in the State of Indiana. This major renovation project is roughly $1.4 million with the Indiana Department of Transportation paying more than $1.1 million of the cost and the City paying approximately $325,000 of the cost.
