▁feet ▁(. 4 9 ▁of ▁a ▁mile ) ▁long . ▁ ▁It ▁has ▁ 4 7 ▁sp ans ▁and ▁a ▁ 2 0 ▁foot ▁wide ▁concrete ▁road way . ▁ ▁The ▁bridge ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁highway ▁bridge ▁ere cted ▁across ▁the ▁lower ▁W ab ash ▁River ▁and ▁the ▁oldest ▁remaining ▁bridge ▁in ▁use ▁over ▁the ▁W ab ash ' s ▁length ▁in ▁Illinois ▁and ▁half ▁of ▁Indiana . ▁The ▁original ▁owner ▁was ▁a ▁private ▁company , ▁the ▁Big ▁W ab ash ▁Bridge ▁Company ▁of ▁Car mi , ▁Illinois , ▁which ▁was ▁char tered ▁by ▁Congress ▁to ▁build ▁and ▁operate ▁the ▁bridge ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 2 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁company ▁contract ed ▁with ▁the ▁Nash ville ▁Bridge ▁Company ▁of ▁Nash ville , ▁Tennessee ▁to ▁build ▁it . ▁The ▁bridge ▁opened ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁and ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁attended ▁the ▁dedic ation ▁of ▁the ▁bridge ▁on ▁December ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 3 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁Congress ▁created ▁the ▁White ▁County ▁Bridge ▁Commission ▁as ▁a ▁joint ▁Illinois - Ind iana ▁ag ency ▁to ▁purchase ▁the ▁bridge ▁from ▁the ▁Big ▁W ab ash ▁Bridge ▁Company ▁for ▁$ 8 9 5 , 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁About ▁ 9 0 0 ▁vehicles ▁crossed ▁the ▁bridge ▁each ▁day . ▁The ▁bridge ▁collected ▁an ▁average ▁of ▁$ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁month ly ▁to ll s ▁and