According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, crews cannot yet say when the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge will reopen because the extent of the damage remains unknown.
Structural problems have prevented crews from getting a full understanding of the damage nearly two weeks after a fire closed the bridge’s southbound lanes, ODOT spokesperson Kathleen Fuller said.
Fuller said the damaged portions of the bridge are “severely compromised.” Crews have not been able to safely walk on the bridge deck to inspect the damage and have instead relied on less practical tools such as drones.
Traffic, diversions and a ‘robodog’: Here’s the latest on the Big Mac Bridge fire
This gave the crews a limited picture of the damage.
However, crews installed support towers this week to stabilize the bridge. Crews plan to begin a close inspection of the damage Friday.
Fuller reiterated that the mainline portion of the bridge is structurally safe. The northbound lanes of the bridge, which were not damaged by the fire, reopened within 24 hours of the incident.
The Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, colloquially known as the Big Mac Bridge, connects Cincinnati to Newport via Interstate 471.
The bridge was affected by a fire that started in the early hours of November 1 under the Cincinnati side of the bridge at the Sawyer Point 1000 Hands Playground. At least three beams, part of the road surface and a sign truss will need to be replaced, officials said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
This article originally appeared on the Cincinnati Enquirer: When will the Big Mac Bridge reopen? Why ODOT doesn’t have an answer
