CINCINNATI — An Ohio bridge damaged by a large fire earlier this month is expected to be fully repaired in March, according to our media partners WCPO-9 TV.
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The Daniel Carter Beard Bridge on Interstate 471, over the Ohio River, was damaged after a fire at the Sawyer Park playground located under the bridge on Nov. 1.
The southbound lanes on the bridge have been closed since, according to a previous News Center 7 report.
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Ohio Department of Transportation spokesperson Kathleen Fuller said the steel girders needed to repair the bridge will arrive in Cincinnati in mid-January, but delays are possible.
After the girders arrive, construction on the bridge will begin with an expected completion date in March.
Fuller told WCPO-9 that the timeline for repairs is extremely quick, as a project with similar demands would typically take up to three years to complete.
Demolition on the bridge will begin on Nov. 29. This process is expected to take three weeks.
“It’s going to be like a surgical, very systematic approach,” Fuller said.
During the demolition, crews will remove smaller pieces from the damaged bridge.
According to Fuller, this is because there are concerns about the bridge’s stability, even though multiple concrete shoring towers were poured to help support the structure.
“I don’t want to induce panic, I don’t want to worry anyone ... yes, there was always the potential for a collapse,” Fuller said.
Once demolition is complete, crews will repair the damaged concrete wall on the northbound side of the bridge.
These repairs are expected to be complete by the end of December.
Fuller said the delivery of the steel girders, equipment, and weather conditions could delay the repairs.
In total, seven steel girders, 7,600 square feet of concrete, and the concrete walls on the highway need to be replaced, according to WCPO-9.
The cause of this fire is still under investigation.
For up-to-date information on the investigation, go to transportation.ohio.gov/471fire.
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