A truck carrying 110lbs of caustic potash collided with a semi that had jack-knifed on the bridge truck at 2:45am this morning on the northbound (bottom) deck of the Brent Spence Bridge and burned for two hours. The bridge is going to remain completely closed down in both directions for an unknown number of days for emergency inspections.

That's a fire!

I'm betting the bridge is shutdown for at least a month. Neither the steel or the concrete in the bridge is meant to withstand heat like that...and the steel has no spray-on fireproofing on it. Building code requires that structural steel in buildings have an applied fireproofing material that covers the steel and protects it against heat during structure fires.

1 minute ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

I'm betting the bridge is shutdown for at least a month. Neither the steel or the concrete in the bridge is meant to withstand heat like that...and the steel has no spray-on fireproofing on it. Building code requires that structural steel in buildings have an applied fireproofing material that covers the steel and protects it against heat during structure fires.

That bridge has been a potential disaster for years. Been lots of promises but nothing has ever happened. Maybe this will be the impetus to get it replaced.

1 hour ago, gchs_uk9 said:

That bridge has been a potential disaster for years. Been lots of promises but nothing has ever happened. Maybe this will be the impetus to get it replaced.

The only way that bridge situation gets fixed is if the powers that be pays to replace it.  Everything is ready to go, to my knowledge, with design etc and has been for several years.  Ohio has been doing construction on I 75 for several years preparing for the new bridges. The problem has been how to pay for it as no one wants tolls on the bridge. Will this disaster bring in the help needed?

31 minutes ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

I'm betting the bridge is shutdown for at least a month. Neither the steel or the concrete in the bridge is meant to withstand heat like that...and the steel has no spray-on fireproofing on it. Building code requires that structural steel in buildings have an applied fireproofing material that covers the steel and protects it against heat during structure fires.

That is going to be a nightmare but I understand it has to be done.

 

Here's a video of the bridge from someone's security camera in a west Covington condo. The initial explosion is on the lower level of the bridge, at the left of the screen around the 24 second mark of the video.
 

 

1 hour ago, theguru said:

That is going to be a nightmare but I understand it has to be done.

How many bridge options besides Brent Spence can get you from Ohio to Kentucky? Anything besides I-275?

1 minute ago, gchs_uk9 said:

How many bridge options besides Brent Spence can get you from Ohio to Kentucky? Anything besides I-275?

Right off the top of my head the Suspension Bridge and the Big Mac Bridge in Covington and Newport.

2 minutes ago, theguru said:

Right off the top of my head the Suspension Bridge and the Big Mac Bridge in Covington and Newport.

Thanks. I've only ever used Spence and I-275. Wasn't sure what might be there to help locals traveling between states.

9 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

How many bridge options besides Brent Spence can get you from Ohio to Kentucky? Anything besides I-275?

Big Mac Bridge (I-275 East to I-471N to I-71N or I-75N) will be the main option.  Suspension Bridge and Clay Wade Bailey are local options through Covington, but not really realistic for large amounts of traffic.  One could go I-275 West to the Carroll Lee Cropper Bridge which goes from KY into Indiana.  From there, one could continue around the loop to I-75 N or cut over I-74 E.  Or, one could continue on I-275 East, avoid I-471 N and the Big Mac Bridge and take the Combs-Hehl Bridge from KY into Ohio and continue around the loop to I-71 N or I-75 N.  Shorter going the east direction rather than the west direction, but I'm sure all routes will be filled while the Brent Spence is closed.