Drivers impacted by the Big Mac Bridge closure could soon have some relief. It's been six weeks since a fire destroyed part of the bridge and caused a traffic nightmare for many.
The good news: Drivers can expect all northbound lanes to be open soon, possibly before the end of the year.
But the Southbound lanes are a different story. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) told me they are still on schedule and working as quickly as possible.
“All of the concrete deck that has been damaged on the southbound side has been removed, all of the damaged girders have been removed,” said ODOT press secretary Matt Bruning.
Those damaged parts were all removed on Wednesday, leaving a giant hole in the southbound lanes. That same day, crews poured the concrete barrier wall between the north and southbound lanes. Once it is cured, a fence will be put on top of the wall.
ODOT says that’s the final step to reopen the closed northbound lane.
“We hope to have that completed by, around Christmas time and that will get all of the northbound lanes of 471 opened,” said Bruning.
The next step in repairs is concrete work around the purecaps on the southbound lanes. Then, new steel barrings, which are placed between the purecaps and steel girders, can be installed.
It’s the new steel girders that are the “driver of the schedule” according to Bruning.
“The real lynchpin for the whole schedule is getting those custom-fabricated steel girders in Cincinnati,” said Bruning.
When the Big Mac Bridge was built, many custom pieces were used, which is the reason for the long repair timeline compared to other bridge repairs in Cincinnati.
“That was one thing that really helped our neighbors in Kentucky with the Brent Spence emergency repair, is that those stringer beams that they used, that they needed to make those repairs are relatively easier to find and make,” said Bruning. “You know they still had some fabrication to do but relative to the Big Mac, much, much easier to get those and that’s what allowed them to get that project done so much quicker.”
Great Lakes Construction worked hard to find someone who could make the necessary customizations as quickly as possible, according to Bruning.
“Necour Steel made the girders, then they shipped those to Bowling Green, Kentucky to Stupp Bridge Company, who is doing the custom fabrication for us there,” said Bruning.
The new steel girders are expected to be shipped to Cincinnati in mid-January, then the final phase of repairs can begin.
“I know this is a big inconvenience for people but I want everyone to know we are all working, as a team, as quickly as we can to get this reopened,” said Bruning.
Bruning did add that weather could cause delays, such as high winds with construction or a snowstorm during the time the girders are being driven to Cincinnati.
But even if that does happen, he is confident they will meet the March deadline.
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