County Commissioners oppose historic designation for Bremen bridge

The Marshall County Commissioners voted unanimously on Monday to oppose the nomination of the Center Street bridge in Bremen to the National Registry of Historic Places, citing concerns about increased costs and reduced longevity of repairs.

The commissioners began their meeting by reorganizing for the new year. Commissioner Adam Faulstich motioned to retain the same officers: Stan Klotz as president, Jesse Bohannon as vice president, and Faulstich as a member. The motion was unanimously approved.

County Highway Superintendent Jason Peters provided updates on several bridge projects. Bridge #1 on Ule Trail has been completed and reopened to traffic, while the replacement project for Bridge #232 on Randolph Street in Plymouth is also complete.

Peters said DLZ, the county's engineering consultant, is waiting on the Indiana Department of Transportation to prepare a memo to officially reclassify Bridge #231 on Center Street in Bremen from a "non-select" to a "select" project.

In Indiana, "select" bridges are historic structures prioritized for preservation and continued vehicular use with minimal rehabilitation, while "non-select" bridges require more significant work or relocation. This classification system, part of a federal agreement under the National Historic Preservation Act, helps determine preservation priorities for historic bridges.

On December 11th, the county was notified by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources that someone had nominated the Bremen bridge to the National Registry of Historic Places. The Indiana Bridge Preservation Review Board will consider the nomination at its January 14th meeting.

Peters told the commissioners that as owners of the bridge, they have the opportunity to concur with or oppose the nomination.

A DLZ representative attending the meeting said the DNR nomination was unexpected. "The DNR threw a curveball to this project in December," he said. The firm is waiting to hear from INDOT on how to proceed.

Commissioner Klotz expressed concerns about the financial implications of a historic designation.

"If the bridge is designated historic, it will cost the county a lot more to fix, plus historic fixes decrease the longevity of the fix by eight to ten years," Klotz said.

Commissioner Jesse Bohannon, who lived in Bremen for 30 years, said he was unfamiliar with the bridge's historic significance.

"I don't see any value to the public for this landmark," Bohannon said.

He moved to oppose the reclassification of Bridge #231 on Center Street in Bremen and requested that DLZ prepare paperwork in opposition for presentation at the January 14th meeting of the Indiana Bridge Preservation Review Board.

The motion passed unanimously.