As the 42nd anniversary of the Cline Avenue Bridge collapse approaches, a steelworker has taken the lead in a relentless push for a memorial, in East Chicago, that would honor the 14 men who died in one of Indiana's deadliest construction accidents. Terry Steagall, who was working at nearby Inland Steel when the disaster happened, has proposed a public commemoration of the fallen workers, who ranged from 23 to 63 years old and were part of a construction crew on a busy regional highway. "It's one of the most tragic construction accidents in Indiana history," Steagall said, according to an interview with NWITimes. "With so many people dying in one accident, it's important to recognize the sacrifice they made to make that bridge possible."
The workers perished on April 15, 1982, while pouring concrete for a ramp at the Riley Road-Cline Avenue interchange, when the bridge gave way under them, killing twelve instantly, with two more succumbing to injuries later. Lake County Commissioner Mike Repay is backing the memorial proposal, expressing surprise that such a tribute hasn't already been erected. "I'm surprised it hasn't been done," Repay told Chicago Tribune. "It's a pretty straightforward, inexpensive thing we could do to honor some folks who were residents and neighbors."
The current effort involves seeking support from city officials, unions, and the community. Steagall has distributed posters and spoken to the East Chicago City Council, where Councilwoman Monica Gonzalez's public safety committee is reviewing the proposal. Acknowledgment of the tragedy's anniversary and the installation of a memorial have gained the support of the Lake County Board of Commissioners, which passed a resolution honoring the memory of the workers as well.
Steagall, who regularly attends a ceremony in Chicago that honors steelworkers killed in a 1937 march, drew inspiration from that event to advocate for the workers lost in both the bridge collapse and historic labor struggles. He has raised about $5,000 for the memorial project, combining contributions from the Steelworkers Union and individual donors. "They respect and honor those guys, including three from USW Local 1010, who were shot and killed on that Memorial Day strike in 1937," Steagall told NWITimes. "It's an emotional ceremony. We have to retain those memories of the past and recognize the sacrifices made by working people. We have to make sure we don't forget those people."
