CINCINNATI (WXIX) – A week after emergency repairs on the Western Hills Viaduct shut down both portions of the bridge, repairs will continue into Tuesday after more loose concrete was found on Monday’s morning commute.
The city had hoped it had finished repairs on Monday. But after a FOX19 photographer captured images of more loose concrete on the bridge during the early commute, repairs were extended into Tuesday.
Emergency work on the bridge after debris had fallen on Oct. 16. Repairs were scheduled to take place Wednesday and Thursday last week, with lanes being closed on the bottom and top portions. Repairs stretched into the weekend and were continuing on Monday after more concrete fell.
Keeping the bridge in good repair is constant work. Bill Shefchik, the principal structural engineer for the City of Cincinnati, said the city is responsible for inspecting and maintaining close to 100 bridges in the area. The most heavily traveled is the Western Hills Viaduct, with 55,000 cars using both the top and lower deck each day.
“We’re trying to mitigate (issues) as much as possible,” Shefchik said. “We do go out there twice a year and do a sweep of the upper deck and the underside of it. We check for anything loose. outside of those areas we’re also checking it on a routine basis.”
Shefchik said the repairs are part of dealing with aging infrastructure. A five-year project to build a new viaduct will begin in 2025 and is expected to be finished in 2030.
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