Interstate 71/Jeremiah Morrow bridge detour scheduled
Warren County (Tuesday, April 25, 2017) – Interstate 71 will be closed to traffic between the State Route 73 and SR 48 exits from 5 a.m. until 1o a.m. Sunday, April 30. The interstate closure is necessary to ensure motorist’s safety while one remaining span of the old Jeremiah Morrow Bridge is imploded.
Last Sunday four spans were scheduled to be blasted. Two of the spans were successfully imploded. However, there were issues with two spans:
· On one span while all of the charges were detonated the blast did not fully cut through the steel supports as required to completely drop it. These charges were reset and the span was successfully demolished.
· With the other span only half of the charges detonated due to a connection issue. It was partially demolished. As a result it was determined the only safe method to bring this remaining span down would require another implosion and closing I-71 in the vicinity of the bridge.
The detour for southbound I-71 is SR 73 to U.S. 42 to SR 48 to I-71; the detour for northbound I-71 is SR 48 to U.S. 42 to SR 73 to I-71. During this detour, the ramps from SR 123 to northbound I-71 and from Wilmington Road to southbound I-71 will be closed.
Also during this time, traffic on the Little Miami Scenic River and Trail will not be permitted between Wilmington Road and SR 350. Please also note the north and southbound rest areas will be closed during this time.
Law enforcement and construction personnel will be on site at various access points to the interstate, river and scenic trail to enforce these restrictions.
All work is weather permitting.
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The Ohio Department of Transportation maintains the state's largest man-made asset--the transportation system. ODOT's mission is to provide the safe and easy movement of people and goods from place to place. As a $2.8 billion per year enterprise, ODOT invests the bulk of its resources in system preservation through maintenance, construction and snow and ice operations.
The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by ODOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 11, 2015, and executed by FHWA and ODOT.
For more information contact:
Brian Cunningham, Communications Manager, at (513) 933-6511 or Liz Lyons, Public Information Specialist, at (513) 933-6534, cell (513) 781-8521 or email D08.PIO@dot.ohio.gov