The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has implemented weight limits for emergency vehicles and temporary lane restrictions on the Interstate 275 Carroll Cropper Memorial Bridge over the Ohio River in Boone County to ensure public safety and preserve the structure.
A press release from the Transport Cabinet says that while the bridge remains safe for passenger vehicles, a recent inspection found deterioration of some of the steel.
The new weight limits for emergency vehicles are:
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has implemented weight limits for emergency vehicles and temporary lane restrictions on the Interstate 275 Carroll Cropper Memorial Bridge, shown in this 2015 photo, over the Ohio River in Boone County.
The weight reduction will not affect commercial vehicle traffic, because semi-trucks have more axles to distribute the weight.
Overweight vehicles or loads that are wider, taller or longer than the legal maximum dimensions, also known as over-dimensional vehicles, are not allowed on the bridge at this time due to the current lane restrictions.
The engineering analysis of the transport box bridge shows that the reduced weight limit and lane restrictions are necessary as a precautionary measure and to prevent further damage until the structure can be repaired, the release said.
The repairs will be added to a previously planned steel repair project already under contract and expected to begin in January 2025.
As of Tuesday, the right lane will be closed in both westbound and eastbound directions. These closures will remain in effect until further notice.
The westbound lane closure begins approximately one mile before the bridge (at mile marker 12.5) and extends along its entire length. The eastbound closure will cover a smaller portion of the bridge.
Updates on the timeline of the upcoming steel repair project will be released once the contractor’s schedule is finalized.
On Tuesday, Cincinnati City Councilman Mark Jeffreys proposed using the Interstate 275 loop to reduce traffic delays caused by the partial closure of the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge after a Nov. 1 fire. It’s unclear what impact emergency vehicle weight limits and lane closures might have on that proposal.
Motorists can get updates on road construction in Northern Kentucky on the District 6 Roadshow website.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Lane closures, weight restrictions on another Ohio River bridge
