Brent Spence Bridge on schedule to reopen right before Christmas

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - The Dec. 23 targeted reopening date of the Brent Spence Bridge is still on track, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray said Wednesday.

Secretary Gray said the hard work from the repair crews and the weather is making it possible to get the bridge open by that date.

On Wednesday, crews started pouring the first concrete to create new barrier walls on the lower deck of the Brent Spence Bridge, Gray explained. The lower deck surface will be placed sometime next week, according to Gray.

Crews will then return to the upper deck for more work Thursday. They will pour the concrete to make the new driving surface on the upper level.

“We’re now past the midpoint of this project to repair and reopen the Brent Spence Bridge,” Secretary Gray said. “Major visible progress to restore the affected upper deck starts tomorrow when contractors pour a new layer of concrete. We’ll be going from construction to completion in the next two weeks.”

The concrete will take around a week to “cure” or harden, according to Gray. As that happens, crews will get ready for the final concrete pour for a new barrier wall on the upper deck.

Repair crews worked on the upper deck Tuesday to install the steel reinforcement bars.

Secretary Gray says one lane of I-71/I-75 northbound is still open to local traffic going to downtown Covington.

He nows says commercial vehicles can also use this route if they are only making local deliveries.

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