CINCINNATI -- Demolition of the Music Hall pedestrian bridge over Central Parkway will begin Monday, city officials have announced.
In a memo issued Friday afternoon, City Manager Harry Black said prep crews had already begun setting up for construction to begin Monday, August 7, with an anticipated end date of August 25. The canopy and walls will come down first, followed then by the horizontal steel structure.
The demolition work will mean the two lanes on Central Parkway already closed due to safety concerns will remain closed. The work will also prohibit on-street parking on both sides of Central Parkway between 12th and 14th streets, and the bike lane and sidewalks on both sides of the street will also close.
Beginning August 14, Central Parkway will be closed to all traffic in this area for one to two weeks, depending on the speediness of the work.
BACKGROUND: Music Hall bridge at risk for 'imminent failure'
COLUMN: Tear down Music Hall bridge, but don't build another one
Town Center Garage will also be closed for the duration of the road closure, Black said.
The demolition comes not long after engineers identified the bridge to be at risk for "imminent failure," prompting swift action from the city administration. It had been closed to pedestrian since May 2016.
The bridge's demise also provoked some debate among City Council members on what's to be done next. Vice Mayor David Mann presented a motion expressing the city's desire to demolish the existing bridge and build a new one in its place. That motion passed in council Wednesday.
In his memo, Black said the supporting piers and foundation will be left to support the new bridge. Engineers determined those are still structurally sound, he said.
To accommodate the closures, Central Avenue will convert to a two-way road between 12th and 14th streets to accommodate detours.
Pat LaFleur reports on transportation and mobility for WCPO. Connect with him on Twitter (@pat_laFleur).
