CINCINNATI — The Ohio Department of Transportation said it is all hands-on-deck to restore southbound Interstate 471 in Ohio after a fire under the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge on Nov. 1 damaged it.

What You Need To Know

  • The Ohio Department of Transportation is working to repair parts of southbound Interstate 471

  • A fire under the approach to the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge on Nov. 1 spread to the overpass, severely damaging the southbound support girders, bridge deck and support structures

  • Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency in Hamilton County to allow ODOT to use federal funding for repairs

  • ODOT said its goal was to reopen the bridge as soon as safely possible

The fire spread from under the bridge to the overpass, severely damaging the southbound supporting girders, bridge deck and support structures, according to ODOT.

On Nov. 6, Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, declared a state of emergency in Hamilton County due to the dangerous conditions. The emergency declaration allows ODOT to use funding from the Federal Emergency Relief Program for immediate repairs and to reopen the highway as soon as safely possible.

Since the fire, ODOT said it has been working with Great Lakes Construction on designing a repair project for the southbound I-471 bridge approach to the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge. Designers are working to determine how much materials will be needed for repairs, and how those materials will be installed. The work also includes determining how the damaged beams, highway surface and overhead sign will be safely removed.

ODOT said the first step is the installation of shoring towers, which resemble scaffolding and will support the damaged section of the highway during construction. Before the shoring towers can be installed, the contractor will need to lay footers for the foundations of the towers.

ODOT also reported seeing vehicles continuing to drive around closures and enter restricted areas near the approach. It reminded drivers that access to I-471 South and the area below the bridge on each side of the approach are closed until further notice.

Traffic is being diverted southbound by way of I-71 and I-75 South. ODOT encouraged heavy truck and semi truck drivers to use I-275 to I-71/75 to avoid delays and said all HAZMAT operators are required to follow the I-275 outerbelt. 

The following restrictions are in place in downtown Cincinnati:

  • Liberty Street access to I-471 is closed

  • 5th Street access to I-471 is closed

  • U.S. 50 East and West access to I-471 is closed (U.S. 50 remains open to thru traffic)

  • Pete Rose Way/Riverside Drive is closed under the approach

    • Eastbound Pete Rose Way motorists may use Eggleston Street

    • Westbound Riverside Drive (U.S. 52) should divert to Columbia Parkway (U.S. 50)

  • The parking lot under the bridge approach, adjacent to Pete Rose Way, is closed

  • Sawyer Point Park and all pedestrian and visitor facilities within the park are closed

In Kentucky, there is a single-lane closure in effect on I-471 North beginning at the 3.6-mile marker near Memorial Parkway and continuing across the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge.

ODOT is sharing regular updates on the repairs through its website. 

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