Anderson Receives Major TIGER Grant

The Eisenhower Bridge was built in 1969 and suffers from structural problems. (photo courtesy of our partners at The Herald Bulletin)

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Madison County and the city of Anderson a $13.5 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, grant. The money will help fund the replacement of the Eisenhower Bridge in Anderson.

City and county officials applied for the grant in April after being denied in seven previous attempts. The funds will cover 75 percent of the $18 million cost to replace the bridge, which was built in 1969 and suffers from structural problems.  

This year’s application was bolstered by a letter of support to U.S. DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx from U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly (D-IN). Donnelly says the  replacement of the bridge, which serves as the eastern gateway to downtown Anderson, will help revitalize the local economy and is a "critical transportation link for Hoosiers traveling to jobs and job training, and accessing essential services."

In April, our partners at The Herald Bulletin reported the plan was to keep the bridge open during construction, with traffic shifting to the eastbound or westbound lanes. The city has not given a timeframe for the beginning of construction.