Brent Spence Bridge Corridor January 31, 2025 eNewsletter

EXCAVATING HISTORY

Conducting an excavation in a city more than 200 years old can be a little like leafing through a scrapbook or sifting through a box of memories. You never know what you’re going to find.



That’s why technicians for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project began investigating subsurface conditions several months ago to ensure they don’t encounter any surprises when construction gets under way.


“Cincinnati is known for a lot of historical projects that were unfinished,” said David Vied of Walsh Kokosing, prime contractor for the project. “You had, for example, the Cincinnati subway and other projects. Unfortunately, many were not recorded on maps.”

Utilities, such as sewers and water lines, are among the most common features located underground. As a result, technicians are conducting small scale or limited excavations in the project pathway to confirm the location of existing utilities and any that are no longer in service, not documented in historical records or both. “It’s imperative to know what we’re contending with underground. A lot of utilities will need to be relocated or moved underground to be out of the project right of way.”


In addition, Vied said crews are conducting subsurface soil borings to collect information about soil composition, which will inform the project’s design.


“This helps us to understand the rock formation and how we’re going to build a structure on top of it. At the end of the day, we want to avoid any potential conflicts or disruptions that could affect the schedule or the means and methods for building this project.”



Learn more about this process in this video.

A THROWBACK TO STEEL, SKILL, AND PROGRESS

This aerial photograph captures a pivotal moment in regional infrastructure history. Shot by Keller Studio on January 9, 1963, the image shows the steel erection progress of what at the time was known as the Cincinnati-Covington Bridge, with a northern view of construction from the south span between Piers No. 3 and 4, and also at Pier No. 2.

The scene reveals more than construction—it documents how ironworkers precisely positioned massive steel beams, building what would become a vital transportation link for both the region and nation. Their dedicated work laid the foundation for today's Brent Spence Bridge, now poised for its next chapter with the addition of a companion bridge.

A CHANCE TO BE PART OF SOMETHING BIG

Iron worker Rob Barker says the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project could be a “once-in-a-lifetime” career opportunity. He should know. The apprenticeship and training director for Local 44 has been an iron worker for 24 years.

 

“Having a project that is well known throughout the country right here in Cincinnati is great,” Barker said. “You never know. You might be able to say, ‘I worked on that.’”

 

To learn more about a career as an iron worker, visit the ironworkers website. To hear Barker talk about his career, watch this video.

PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: TEMPORARY RIVERFRONT COMMONS TRAIL DETOUR

To ensure public safety during Brent Spence Bridge Corridor (BSBC) Project construction, the project team requires a 60-month closure of approximately 0.8 miles of the Riverfront Commons Trail beginning in the summer of 2025. During this time, continuity for trail users will be maintained with a detour route (.2 miles longer than the original trail). When the companion bridge is substantially complete, the original trail route will be restored and re-opened. Intermittent closures within the same 0.8-mile trail section will be required until the project is complete to ensure public safety.



Comments on the proposed detour path and construction may be provided to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Project Manager Stacee Hans at stacee.hans@ky.gov from now until February 23, 2025. See proposed maps and more detailed information here

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Stretching from the Western Hills Viaduct in Ohio to Dixie Highway in Kentucky, the estimated $3.6 billion project will be built without tolls and transform an eight-mile portion of the I-71/75 interstate corridor, including a companion bridge immediately to the west of the existing bridge. More information about the project is available at BrentSpenceBridgeCorridor.com.

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