COVINGTON, Ky. — The Brent Spence Bridge is opening one day ahead of schedule after a fiery crash closed the bridge down in November. It was originally slated to reopen on Dec. 23.

Gov. Andy Beshear and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Secretary Jim Gray announced the bridge's reopening Tuesday following the completion of a six-week emergency repair project. Throughout the afternoon and evening, travel lanes and various access ramps leading to the bridge will gradually reopen to full capacity once lane striping on the upper and lower decks is complete.

Below is a look at the completed repairs.

COURTESY KYTC

On Nov. 11, two commercial vehicles crashed on the Brent Spence Bridge, which carries Interstates 71 and 75 over the Ohio River between Covington and Cincinnati, Ohio. According to a press release from KYTC, the final safety inspection was completed Monday evening.

“We are pleased to reopen the Brent Spence Bridge ahead of schedule and return one of the nation’s busiest and most important economic travel corridors to public use,” Beshear said. “I commend the dedicated employees of the Transportation Cabinet for working with deliberate speed and adhering to strict safety guidelines in a time of unprecedented uncertainty in our great state.”

Gray echoed Beshear's comments.

“We conquered a combination of factors that challenged our ability to complete this project on time, including a global health pandemic and winter weather, and still delivered on our promise to return a safe and sound bridge to the traveling public before the holidays,” Gray said. “Along with repairing the bridge, we also focused our attention on traffic management to maintain reliable connections for travelers. Ensuring safe roadways is a partnership between KYTC and the public, and I appreciate everyone’s commitment and contribution to keeping our roads safe.”

Following November's crash, a team of over 20 national and local bridge inspectors surveyed the entire bridge to ensure the structure's integrity wasn't compromised. KYTC then awarded a $3.1 million contract to prime contractor Kokosing Construction Co.

The bridge's repairs include:

• Replacing 16 steel beams damaged by fire;
• Pouring a new upper deck driving surface and concrete barrier wall;
• Pouring a new layer of concrete on the lower deck and new concrete barrier wall;
• Removing and installing the drainage system;
• Installing new overhead lights; and
• Restriping new concrete on the upper and lower decks.

Designed to carry 80,000 to 100,000 vehicles per day, the Brent Spence Bridge carries roughly twice that across the Ohio River. According to KYTC, discussions continue between the cabinet and the Ohio Department of Transportation on plans to build a companion bridge to the west of the Brent Spence Bridge.

While traffic was restricted due to the repairs, KYTC crews completed maintenance projects on and around the bridge, such as drainage repairs on the northbound side of I-71/75, just south of the bridge; cleaning overhead signs on the lower deck, and repaving and restriping the northbound approach lanes.

In addition, Gray announced that the cabinet will install hazardous material signage in Northern Kentucky to raise awareness of the hazardous material restriction north of I-275 between I-71/75 and the Ohio state line.

“We listened and then we held conversations at the local, state and federal levels regarding the hazmat restrictions in the area. We share the desire to install signage to reinforce the restrictions, which drivers who plan their routes should know,” Gray said. “It’s worthwhile to remember that the amount of potassium hydroxide transported by one of the vehicles in the crash was well below the federal threshold of what is considered hazardous material, so it was allowed to cross the bridge. While it’s every driver’s responsibility to know and obey the rules of the road, we’ll do everything we can to provide information.”

The repairs' cost is also expected to be under budget. While the U.S. Department of Transportation authorized up to $12 million in emergency relief reimbursement funding for the repairs, Gray said the final expenses will likely be as little as half that amount.

Haeli Spears is a digital producer with Spectrum News 1 Kentucky. She is a University of Louisville graduate who started her career with Spectrum News in May, 2020. Khyati Patel contributed the video portion of this story.