I-471 Southbound Lanes to Reopen Sunday After Bridge Fire
Free at last!
The southbound lanes of I-471 going across the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge will reopen Sunday evening. The bridge reopen comes about 100 days after a fire caused massive damage and forced a closure. Governor Mike DeWine, officials from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced the reopening Friday morning in a press statement.
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Crews are making final repairs— grinding and grooving the bridge deck, welding under the expansion joint seal, and striping pavement. The fire, allegedly started by four individuals in November, caused extensive damage and was expected to keep the bridge closed until March. However, workers completed the project ahead of schedule, with repairs totaling over $10 million.
Gov. Mike DeWine: “Reopening southbound access to this bridge in just over three months is a tremendous accomplishment. The closure of these lanes wasn’t only an inconvenience, but also a disruption to the supply chain. I applaud our ODOT team and their partners for working hard to finish the project ahead of schedule.”
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Most northbound lanes reopened shortly after the fire, but the southbound lanes required additional work to the structure for safe travel. ODOT will announce the exact reopening time on social media about an hour before the barricades are removed. Meanwhile, authorities have charged two individuals with aggravated arson and two others with obstructing the investigation.
