, e t y n
t r h e. e
e
o e g s
. m.
m m. 5.
1 Front
Serving Bureau County Since 1847
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
NEWSSTAND PRICE 75¢
Bridging the gaps Illinois is No. 7 in the country, having the most structurally deficient bridges By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — The condition of bridges is something highway engineers all over the U.S. continue to keep a close watch on. But while every state works to keep their bridges safe and sound, there is not always enough funding to keep up with the needed repairs for every structure, which results in bridges being listed as structurally deficient. A new report recently released from the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) shows there were 58,500 bridges in America listed as structurally deficient in 2015. That number is 2,574 fewer than what was listed in 2014, however, it doesn’t take away from the amount of bridges that still needs repairs. The ARTBA states at the current pace of bridge invest-
ment, it would take at least 21 years before these bridges were all replaced or upgraded. To help ensure public safety, bridge decks and support structures are regularly inspected by the state transportation departments for deterioration and remedial action. They are rated on a scale of zero to nine —with nine meaning the bridge is an “excellent” condition. A bridge is classified as structurally deficient and in need of repair if its overall rating is four or below. Unfortunately, the funding made available to state and local transportation departments for bridge work is not keeping pace with needs, according to the ARTBA. The Top 10 states with the most structurally deficient bridges include Iowa (5,025), Pennsylvania (4,783), Oklahoma (3,776), Missouri (3,222), Nebraska (2,474), Kansas (2,303), Illinois (2,244), Mississippi (2,184), North Carolina (2,085) and California (2,009).
Stats of Illinois bridges: Illinois is ranked seventh in the country as having the most structurally deficient bridges. The state of Illinois is home to 26,674 bridges. Of those structures, 2,244 bridges, or 8 percent of the state’s bridges, are listed as structurally deficient. What is it about a bridge that classifies it as structurally deficient? According to ARTBA, structurally deficient means one or more of the key bridge elements, such as the deck, superstructure or substructure is considered to be in “poor” or worse condition. According to the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) 2015 National Bridge Inventory Data, 1,959 Illinois bridges, or 7 percent are classified as functionally obsolete, which means the bridge does not meet design standards in line with current practice.
Bridges Page 4
Discovery at a discount
126,750 pounds of food served
Princeton Public Library set for annual book sale
Bureau County Food Pantry announces stats for 2015
By Eric Engel eengel@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — Great adventures await readers of every age and literary interest in the sale room of the Princeton Public Library (PPL), starting Thursday, March 17. The PPL is hosting its Friends of the Library Book Sale a little differently this year, with three sales scheduled during the year instead of four sales in previous years. Jill VanAcker, a librarian for 30 years who spent a decade at the PPL, said the goal is to give the library $10,000 in proceeds from the event every January, and they’re always able to exceed that goal. “We get our books through donations, and we’re so full back here we can hardly add to some sections,” VanAcker said, mentioning people come in every day with books that span all historical periods and creative styles. “This is our fourth year, and it’s been very popular throughout.” The book sale will feature reading material for young and old alike, from new age novels and historical war testimonies to children’s books and sports almanacs. Music, DVDs, audio books and puzzles will also be available for purchase. The books will all be highly affordable, most of which are priced at $1 or less. VanAcker said she cleans and organizes every book that comes in, using a dot system to indicate how long a particular book has been on the shelf. If a book does not sell, it is sent to Goodwill or The Closet in Princeton for more inquisitive eyes to find. “Reading opens up a person’s world, whether it’s just for pleasure or digging in to come away with something substantial,” VanAcker said, adding she’ll stand and flip through interesting material for 15 minutes while putting books away. “I’m always thinking, ‘Who wants this book, and what are they going to get out of it?’”
Books Page 3
By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
Celebrating the Chinese New Year BCR photo/Joann Bowman
Jeanne O’Melia demonstrates some techniques and brush strokes at a youth program on the Chinese Lunar New Year at the Ohio Public Library on Saturday, Feb. 27. The children also had the opportunity to learn how to make their own ink and enjoyed a Chinese dragon, as part of the program.
PRINCETON — The Bureau County Food Pantry has released its annual statistics for 2015. Based on the numbers, the food pantry served 1,994 households and 5,070 individuals last year. Both of those stats are a decrease of what was recorded in 2014. The pantry recorded 29 less households and 186 less individuals compared to 2014. Vanessa Hoffeditz, manager of the Bureau County Food Pantry, said she was surprised by the decline and admitted to not seeing a decrease in stats within the last four years. Upon further research, however, she realized the decrease could relate to the decline in population in Bureau County. According to the 2014 census, there was a 3.3 percent decrease in population within the county. Hoffeditz said many patrons at the food pantry continue to struggle with high food prices, fluctuating gas prices and the increasing cost of living. In 2015, the number of elderly and disabled individuals utilizing the food pantry increased. There were 628 individuals served under the elderly category, which was an increase of 129 over 2014. Elderly, those 65 years old and older, make up 13 percent of total individuals served in Bureau County. Hoffeditz said the cost of living on fixed incomes continues to be a big challenge for many seniors. Also, the cost of medication is increasing, and there have been new changes to Medicaid and Medicare, and some medical procedures elderly were once assured coverage on are not being covered today.
Food pantry Page 2
Year 170 No. 26 One Section - 16 Pages
Family Medicine, OB/GYN, & Convenient Walk-In Care
NOW OPEN
1916 North Main Street, Princeton © Bureau County Republican
815-915-8748