PORTAGE, Ind. (November 25, 2024) — Superior Construction has completed a new, two-lane, 1,200-foot-long bridge over several rail lines at the Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor in Portage, Indiana. The completion of the new State Road 249 bridge, which opened to traffic in early November, marks the first phase of an Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) project that will double cargo capacity at the Lake Michigan port. 

With the new bridge open, Superior crews will now reconstruct the original bridge. When that work is completed in 2026, the port will have a four-lane connection to the Greater Chicago/Northern Indiana area. Since the port opened in 1970, the roughly 325,000 trucks going in and out each year have only had two-lane access. The trucks typically carry cargo such as steel, chemicals and agricultural products. According to its website, the Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor generates $4.6 billion annually in economic activity and supports 28,000 jobs.

Our goal is to provide Indiana with a modern port system that connects local businesses to the world, and our customers depend on reliable supply chains and well-maintained infrastructure,” said Ryan McCoy, port director for Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor. “This bridge will allow us to better serve heavy-lift cargoes that were previously diverted to other routes and prepares this port for future container shipments starting in 2026. This project will also positively impact the environment by reducing congestion and idling time for vehicles, further lowering the port’s carbon footprint.”