CINCINNATI — If you’re one of the thousands of drivers between Cincinnati and Kentucky who have been waiting on the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge or "Big Mac" Bridge to reopen after the massive fire back in November, well sit tight because there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

Monday morning, crews reached the first major milestone by starting the install of large steel support beams known as girders.

What You Need To Know

  • Seven massive girders are being installed for the bridge repair

  • Girders are steel support beams weighing up to 27,000 pounds

  • Crews will continue to work 24/7 to get the beams installed

  • ODOT anticipates the bridge reopening by early March

“This is the first major step in the rebuild. The girders is where it all has to start,” said ODOT Public Information Officer Kathleen Fuller.

The goal is to get all seven girders in place by Wednesday. The beams are giant — they are up to 90 feet long and weigh up to 27,000 pounds each.

It’s cold, it’s icy, but crews are focused and working to get them installed.

“Right now, they’re planning to work 24/7 on all the steel work. So the iron workers are out here now. Expect to see them other all week. Once the girders are in place, they still have to do the fastenings and the steel plates,” said Fuller.

Even after the girders are installed, there is even more work to do.

“There will be two floors of concrete deck and each one takes seven days to cure. The contractors are working on a very specialized plan to do those concrete floors in the cold weather, in the extreme cold. But again, the weather could affect how that is played out,” said Fuller.

If all repairs remain on schedule, the goal is to have the bridge back open by early March.