I-71/I-75 Brent Spence Bridge Replacement

[thenetwork]

I don't see the problem with the proposal. It looks great.

It looks like on the Ohio side, it will be taking up quite a bit of valuable real estate, and will initially work to further divide the area that I-75 bisects.  If they come back and cover it up later, these issues will be somewhat mitigated.

One thing is for certain: the construction phase will be pure hell.  They need to emphasize using all of 275 as alternate routes for all non-Cincinnati-bound traffic, regardless of how far out of the way it can be.  A few days ago, Control City Freak released a YouTube video about I-275, and pointed out that much of it has no control cities.  In Kentucky, at the 71/75/275 stack, they should bite the bullet and sign the 275 outer loop for Columbus and Dayton, and the inner loop for Indianapolis.  And make similar signage at the 71 and 75 interchanges with 275 in Ohio, with Louisville and Lexington as the control cities for the inner loop, and I think they already have Indianapolis signed for the outer loop due to its brief duplex with 74.  Either way, get as much traffic out of that work zone as humanly possible.

Oh I never thought about the fact that 275 doesn't have control cities. That's not helping Cincinnati's inward-facing reputation at all.

I haven't looked at all the project specifics, but just how much "real" life does the current Brent Spence have left before it will need to be replaced altogether?  I thought I heard that there is only so much they can do before having to talk unavoidable replacement?

If that's the case, then one would think they would need to plan now for future ramps, ROW's and roadway tie-ins to the new sister bridge when the original bridge is replaced and/or closed.

[seicer]

The existing 1963 Brent Spence Bridge will be rehabilitated when the new companion structure opens around 2029, and it is expected that the structure will serve traffic for another 30 to 50 years with just regular maintenance before another rehabilitation is needed.

[hbelkins]

I haven't looked at all the project specifics, but just how much "real" life does the current Brent Spence have left before it will need to be replaced altogether?  I thought I heard that there is only so much they can do before having to talk unavoidable replacement?

If that's the case, then one would think they would need to plan now for future ramps, ROW's and roadway tie-ins to the new sister bridge when the original bridge is replaced and/or closed.

It's a common misconception that the Brent Spence is in danger of collapsing into the Ohio River. Its issue is functional obsolescence, not structural deficiency. The bridge had pretty extensive work done when the truck fire occurred several months ago.

[seicer]

The plan for the older c. 1932 US 41 bridge in Henderson KY over the Ohio River will keep it in operation for over 130 years with just regular maintenance. It's not unfathomable that the state could get 150+ years out of it.

[Henry]

So I-75 is going to be Cincinnati's Carmageddon in the next several years. With the Mill Creek Expressway project also about to begin to the bridge's immediate north, expect a big mess on the other freeways as well as motorists will struggle to get around the two construction sites (about 20 miles' worth, IIRC, and that includes the stretch across the river in Covington).

[doglover44]

When the Brent Spence bridge is being replaced where the heck would the detour be ?

[Great Lakes Roads]

When the Brent Spence bridge is being replaced where the heck would the detour be ?

They are going to be building a new double-decker bridge west of the existing bridge for thru traffic. After the new bridge opens to traffic, the existing bridge will be massively rehabbed and restriped to carry local traffic.

[davewiecking]

This project received environmental approval from the FHWA, as this press release from Friday states...

https://brentspencebridgecorridor.com/ohio-and-kentucky-receive-federal-environmental-approval-for-brent-spence-bridge-corridor-project-clearing-path-forward/

[thenetwork]

When the Brent Spence bridge is being replaced where the heck would the detour be ?

For I-71 Thru Traffic and Downtown Traffic:

I-275 EAST to I-471 NORTH

For I-75 Thru Traffic:

I-275 Western bypass

[GCrites]

And the Brent Spence Bridge itself.

[vdeane]

And the Brent Spence Bridge itself.

Yeah, this.  They're twinning the bridge, not doing a planned version of the Key Bridge replacement.  I could see some short-term closures if they need to put in a new traffic pattern or for some incidental work that needs the old bridge closed, but by and large, I expect the old bridge to remain open during the project.

[Plutonic Panda]

Article revealing some details on the projects components: https://www.roadsbridges.com/bridge-construction/news/55055653/brent-spence-bridge-project-improves-project-plans

[Henry]

When the Brent Spence bridge is being replaced where the heck would the detour be ?

For I-71 Thru Traffic and Downtown Traffic:

I-275 EAST to I-471 NORTH

For I-75 Thru Traffic:

I-275 Western bypass

I assume traffic wishing to use I-74 would also follow the I-275 western bypass?

And as noted above, the Brent Spence Bridge will be supplemented by a new span, not replaced outright. This is similar to what you'd see on I-65 in Louisville.

[Bitmapped]

https://brentspencebridgecorridor.com/bridge-type-selection/

The new bridge is going to be a cable-stayed bridge with two decks. Each deck will be independent of the other, directly connected to its own cable stays for support.

[The Ghostbuster]

I would have preferred a single-deck bridge. Still, the new bridge will look a lot better than the existing bridge.