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FAQs
George V. Voinovich Bridge

 

 Frequently Asked Questions

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Q: How many bridges were built?
A: Two.  Both new bridges areopen to traffic. One carries westbound traffic  and the second carries eastbound traffic.  The 1950's era bridge was removed in 2014.
 
Q: Why did ODOT build two new bridges?
A: By constructing two bridges, traffic can now move more safely into and out of Cleveland.  The two bridges also allowed ODOT to maintain traffic on I-90 – a vital link into Downtown Cleveland - during construction.
 
Q: When was the bridge replacement complete?
A: Both bridges were open to traffic in September 2016.
 
Q: How many lanes does each bridge have?
A: Each new bridge carries five lanes of traffic - one more than the 1950's-era bridge carried.
 
Q: Each new bridge was constructed using the "design-build" method.  What is “design-build?”
A: In order to complete construction of the new bridges faster, ODOT used a unique value based design-build​ process, in which the design and construction of the projects are performed by a team of designers and construction contractors.  In a typical "design-bid-build" project, design is completed prior to bidding and a project of this magnitude could take a number of years to be designed, let alone constructed.  The overlapping of design and construction also reduces the likelihood of project delays, as construction work is on-going.
 
Q: How long and tall are the new bridges?
A: The new westbound bridge is about 4,347 feet long.  The eastbound bridge will be about 3,918 feet long.  Both bridges will stand about 115 feet over the CSX railroad on the eastern end (10 feet lower than its predecessor) and 136 feet over the Cuyahoga River.
 
Q: The two new bridges look similar, are they "twin bridges"?
A: The two bridges will be "sister" bridges and they have the same "delta girder" shape.
 
Q: What happened to the 1950's-era bridge?
A: Demolition of the 1950's-era bridge began in January 2014. The team is used a mixture of both traditional demolition and “controlled” – or explosive – demolition.  Controlled demolition took place on July 12, 2014. The bridge was demolished in its entirety by summer 2014.  Nearly all of the materials from the demolished bridge were reused or recycled.         
 
Q: How many vehicles use this stretch of I-90 each day?
A: About 140,000 vehicles use this stretch of I-90 every day.