It could be weeks or, perhaps, more than a month before repairs to the Brent Spence Bridge are completed, Kentucky Secretary of Transportation Jim Gray said Thursday in a virtual news conference alongside Governor Andy Beshear.
The governor was in Frankfort while Gray was in Covington working with inspectors who have finally begun to look at the impact to the nearly 60-year old span following Wednesday morning’s devastating crash involving two semi trucks that resulted in fire scorching part of it.
“Things could have been actually much worse,” Gray said.
The bridge, which connects Covington to Cincinnati via Interstates 71 and 75 is a major highway artery for the nation’s economy, carrying approximately 3 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product annually.
Following the crash, which happened just before 3 a.m. Wednesday, traffic was shut down in both directions.
“Under the best case, we have repairs that will take weeks to execute,” Gray said.
Traffic was also closed on the Ohio River below, but that was reopened Thursday afternoon.
The Roebling Suspension Bridge, a Civil War-era span connecting Covington and Cincinnati’s central business districts was also closed after heavy commercial vehicles made their way there as an alternate route, violating the 11-ton maximum capacity.
Gray said that law enforcement officials on both sides of the river are working together to reopen that bridge.
As of Thursday afternoon, there are twenty inspectors on the bridge and “many behind the scenes in support capacities,” Gray said. The crews are working to figure out what the repairs would entail while simultaneously designing for them.
Beshear issued a state of emergency declaration on Wednesday, opening up the state for possible federal assistance, which state officials expect to receive. But the inspection and scope of the project must be completed first, Gray said.
Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann also issued a state of emergency declaration.
“We all appreciate that traffic patterns are seriously disrupted today,” Gray said. “I want the public to know that we understand this. We will work tirelessly to get the Brent Spence back in operation. We know how important this is to the people of Northern Kentucky and the commercial corridor and the economy through this area.”
The news conference suffered technical difficulties and reporters’ questions were not able to be addressed in full. The River City News, which participated in the news conference, submitted additional questions via email, as requested.
This story will be updated when more information is known.
-Michael Monks, editor & publisher
Photo: Crews on the shuttered Brent Spence Bridge on Thursday (via Kentucky Transportation Cabinet)