
Friday, March 3, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Ursula Thomas Miller, ursula.miller@cincinnati-oh.gov, or 513.352.3417
CINCINNATI – The Marburg Avenue bridge at Wasson Road will be closed for approximately six months beginning at 9:00 a.m. Monday, March 20. The closure is needed so construction crews may remove the existing bridge and build a new one in its place.
The 86-year-old bridge, which spans a ravine over former Norfolk & Southern railroad lines, connects densely populated residential and commercial areas in Hyde Park and Oakley.
”We recognize how inconvenient the closure will be to residents and commuters in this busy area,” said Michael Moore, director, Department of Transportation & Engineering. “We plan to carefully monitor traffic patterns during the closure and will make adjustments to signal timing and implement other measures to keep traffic moving as safely and efficiently as possible.”
Utility relocations continue until March 17. Bridge-related preparation work starts the week of March 13, with crews clearing access to the site via Wasson Road. Also beginning the same week, traffic on Wasson Road will be shifted to the north and reduced to one lane in each direction between Eastern Hills Lane and the intersection at Marburg Avenue. The lane restrictions are needed to accommodate crews and equipment until all work is finished next fall.
During the closure, motorists who wish to travel north on Marburg will be detoured west at Erie Avenue, north on Paxton, east on Wasson and north again on Marburg. Motorists heading south on Marburg will have the option to use Paxton or Wasson.
A three-way stop will be in place at the Wasson-Marburg intersection, allowing motorists to proceed north, east and west.
The stretch of Marburg from Erie Avenue north to the bridge will be restricted to local and emergency traffic only during the closure.
Pedestrians will not be allowed to cross the bridge during the closure.
In addition, Victoria and Portsmouth avenues will be closed to through traffic to reduce potential congestion on those residential streets. Local and emergency traffic will be allowed.
Detour signs will be posted on site at the bridge closure and at nearby key intersections to help direct motorists. In addition, signs directing motorists to Interstate 71 via Ridge Road and via Red Bank Road will be posted.
Please see the attached map, which shows the detour routes and access options to I-71.
The current Marburg bridge is classified as “structurally deficient” and is in “poor” condition with a rating of 4 on a scale of 0 to 9, according to National Bridge Inspection Standards.
All work for the new bridge is expected to finish by Oct. 31. The bridge will be a concrete structure with an improved grade, 8-foot wide sidewalks on both sides of it, as well as decorative railings and graphics related to the local area.
The cost to replace and construct the bridge is $2.1 million. It is being paid for with state and federal grants.