The Brent Spence Bridge carries interstates 71 and 75 across the Ohio River between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Ky. Before the pandemic, daily traffic averaged more than 163,000 crossings per pay, but that traffic came to an abrupt halt on the morning of Nov. 11, 2020, when a crash involving two trucks sparked a fire that shut down the bridge and left officials unsure when it would be safe to open again.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet began procuring steel for repairs to the two-deck cantilevered truss bridge the same day, even before a contractor was selected, which helped expedite the repairs. They brought in engineers from Michael Baker International’s Louisville office, and inspectors were able to begin working on the bridge the next morning, using rope access techniques, lifts and drones to identify the heat-affected zone and ensure the structure’s stability during the project. Contracts for the repairs were ready within five days.