Jackson County bridge closing early for replacement project

A project to replace a bridge in Jackson County is being moved up after emergency pavement repairs last week.

INDOT says that crews closed the southbound lane of State Road 135 north of Freetown in Jackson County Friday for emergency pavement repairs. The location is about two miles south of the Brown County line between County Road 890N and County Road 1000N.

The road is being reduced to one lane with barrels. There are stop signs and portable message boards placed at each end while the repairs are made. A timeline for the work has not yet been set.

The State Road 135 bridge over Kiper Creek, just south of Friday’s lane closings, is scheduled to close for four months for a replacement project. That project’s timeline has been accelerated because of the pavement repairs to the north. That work is tentatively set to start on Wednesday this week.

During the closure, the detour will be State Road 46, Interstate 65 and State Road 58.

The project is part of a $2.3 million dollar construction contract, awarded in August of 2020.

INDOT asks you to slow down, to use extra caution, to avoid driving while distracted and to be alert for worker safety when you are driving through construction zones.