The South Griffin Street bridge over Stoney Creek was probably built in the early 1900's and is a reinforced concrete bridge.  The white leaching substance are mineral deposits carried by water leaking through cracks in the concrete.  The number of cracks have allowed salts to reach the reinforcing steel making them rust.  The result is weak and crumbling concrete which led to a hole in the deck at one location.

In 2010, the Illinois Department of Transportation recommended that the bridge be closed unless a detailed evaluation showed it could remain open.  The City hired a 3rd party consultant who verified the bridge should be closed.

The City has applied for and will receive $1,500,000 in Federal Major Bridge funding to help replace the bridge as early as 2015.  The City will need to contribute $600,000 to the project as the local participating match.