Expect massive delays this weekend — again — on the Brent Spence Bridge. Big change are happening that can be summed up with the words "choose your lane and live with it."Northbound traffic of Intestate 71/75 will be reduced to one lane as a new significant traffic pattern change can be implemented. Under the new pattern, which will remain in place through Aug. 29, drivers will need to plan which lane they need to be in before reaching the bridge when headed into Ohio, said Cory Wilson, branch manager for the Cabinet’s Northern Kentucky office.When implemented, changing lanes on the bridge will not be possible. “Once the work this weekend is completed, the new travel pattern will be in place and changing lanes on the bridge will not be possible,” Wilson said. “Traffic in the far left lane will proceed to I-75 and traffic in the far right lane will proceed to I-71. The two center lanes on I-71/75 northbound across the bridge will be closed.”No changes are planned for southbound lanes on the bridge, where the two right or westernmost lanes are open and the two left or easternmost lanes remain closed.The work is part of an ongoing painting and maintenance project on the bridge that is expected to be complete Nov. 15. The Fourth Street entrance onto the bridge northbound in Covington has been closed during the work, although the entrance ramp from Pike Street has remained open.The following changes will be in place:This weekend: 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. SundayTravel on I-71/75 northbound will be reduced to one lane.Access to I-75 northbound from the Brent Spence Bridge will be closed for several hours for set-up work. When that set-up is completed, access to I-75 northbound will reopen and access to I-71 northbound will be closed until 5 a.m. Sunday.Overnight Friday (from about 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday), rolling roadblocks will be set up just south of the bridge in Kentucky on I-71/75 northbound to hold traffic in 15-minute increments to allow crews to safely set the next traffic pattern on the bridge.From 5 a.m., Sunday until Aug. 29:Under the new traffic pattern, two lanes will be open.If you are in the far left lane, you will proceed to I-75 in Ohio; if you are in the right lane, you will proceed to I-71.The two center lanes will be closed, and changing lanes on the bridge will not be possible.The traffic shift is the latest in the saga of the troubled bridge. President Joe Biden visited Cincinnati Wednesday, taking him near the dangerously outdated Brent Spence Bridge - a chokepoint for trucks and emergency vehicles between Ohio and Kentucky that the past two presidents promised without success to replace. Biden made a passing reference to the structure, telling town hall attendees it's time to “fix that damn bridge of yours.”Tom Hinckley lives in Cleves and delivers for GrubHub. He was grabbing an order in Covington late this morning when he said is back and forth across the Brent Spence 10, 15 times a day.Crossing lanes won't be an option for a while — welcome to his world."I mean, it's going to affect a lot," he said as he checked his mobile device for orders that were coming in. "I mean not everybody knows what to do, not everybody's from here. So, it's going to cause problems."Hinckley heard President Joe Biden speak of the bridge Wednesday night. So did OKI transportation expert Mark Policinski, who normally stays on the sunny side."I'm not hopeful," he said. "I'm not optimistic. I'm realistic. We've been down this path with numerous Presidents, with numerous Congresses and nothing's happened."But Policinski sees a game-changer this time. He mentioned the pressure of businesses, big and small, that are being affected by the diversion of traffic.Brent Cooper of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce said, "Part of why Fourth Street was down and part of why the Roebling is down currently is because the Brent Spence. It was because traffic did divert when the bridge was shut down."This time seems different to the Chamber leader on the Ohio side."It already feels like it's more than just political conversation," observed Jill Meyer, the President & CEO of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. "Course, it still has to get done."
Expect massive delays this weekend — again — on the Brent Spence Bridge.
Big change are happening that can be summed up with the words "choose your lane and live with it."
Northbound traffic of Intestate 71/75 will be reduced to one lane as a new significant traffic pattern change can be implemented.
Under the new pattern, which will remain in place through Aug. 29, drivers will need to plan which lane they need to be in before reaching the bridge when headed into Ohio, said Cory Wilson, branch manager for the Cabinet’s Northern Kentucky office.
When implemented, changing lanes on the bridge will not be possible.
“Once the work this weekend is completed, the new travel pattern will be in place and changing lanes on the bridge will not be possible,” Wilson said. “Traffic in the far left lane will proceed to I-75 and traffic in the far right lane will proceed to I-71. The two center lanes on I-71/75 northbound across the bridge will be closed.”
No changes are planned for southbound lanes on the bridge, where the two right or westernmost lanes are open and the two left or easternmost lanes remain closed.
The work is part of an ongoing painting and maintenance project on the bridge that is expected to be complete Nov. 15. The Fourth Street entrance onto the bridge northbound in Covington has been closed during the work, although the entrance ramp from Pike Street has remained open.
The following changes will be in place:
This weekend: 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Sunday
- Travel on I-71/75 northbound will be reduced to one lane.
- Access to I-75 northbound from the Brent Spence Bridge will be closed for several hours for set-up work. When that set-up is completed, access to I-75 northbound will reopen and access to I-71 northbound will be closed until 5 a.m. Sunday.
- Overnight Friday (from about 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday), rolling roadblocks will be set up just south of the bridge in Kentucky on I-71/75 northbound to hold traffic in 15-minute increments to allow crews to safely set the next traffic pattern on the bridge.
From 5 a.m., Sunday until Aug. 29:
- Under the new traffic pattern, two lanes will be open.
- If you are in the far left lane, you will proceed to I-75 in Ohio; if you are in the right lane, you will proceed to I-71.
- The two center lanes will be closed, and changing lanes on the bridge will not be possible.
The traffic shift is the latest in the saga of the troubled bridge.
President Joe Biden visited Cincinnati Wednesday, taking him near the dangerously outdated Brent Spence Bridge - a chokepoint for trucks and emergency vehicles between Ohio and Kentucky that the past two presidents promised without success to replace.
Biden made a passing reference to the structure, telling town hall attendees it's time to “fix that damn bridge of yours.”
Tom Hinckley lives in Cleves and delivers for GrubHub. He was grabbing an order in Covington late this morning when he said is back and forth across the Brent Spence 10, 15 times a day.
Crossing lanes won't be an option for a while — welcome to his world.
"I mean, it's going to affect a lot," he said as he checked his mobile device for orders that were coming in. "I mean not everybody knows what to do, not everybody's from here. So, it's going to cause problems."
Hinckley heard President Joe Biden speak of the bridge Wednesday night. So did OKI transportation expert Mark Policinski, who normally stays on the sunny side.
"I'm not hopeful," he said. "I'm not optimistic. I'm realistic. We've been down this path with numerous Presidents, with numerous Congresses and nothing's happened."
But Policinski sees a game-changer this time. He mentioned the pressure of businesses, big and small, that are being affected by the diversion of traffic.
Brent Cooper of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce said, "Part of why Fourth Street was down and part of why the Roebling is down currently is because the Brent Spence. It was because traffic did divert when the bridge was shut down."
This time seems different to the Chamber leader on the Ohio side.
"It already feels like it's more than just political conversation," observed Jill Meyer, the President & CEO of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. "Course, it still has to get done."
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