The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced in a press release on Jan. 28 that the Roebling Suspension Bridge will close in February for nine months for restorations.
The historic bridge, which connects Covington to Cincinnati and carries around 8,100 vehicles a day, will close one lane beginning Feb. 1, and then will close to traffic starting Feb. 15. The bridge's pedestrian walkway will remain open during the traffic closure.
A tweet from the KTC says that the bridge is slated to reopen in November and briefly touches on its reasoning behind the closure. "Giving our historic landmark some love and attention," the Tweet reads.
The John A. Roebling Bridge Restoration Project is about to start!
— KYTC District 6 (@KYTCDistrict6) January 28, 2021
Monday, Feb. 1, there will be a single lane closure. On Feb. 15, the bridge will be closed to traffic until Nov.
A pedestrian walkway will remain open.
Giving our historic landmark some love and attention. pic.twitter.com/DgLRF6q4vt
An article published by The River City News explains that the $4.7 million restoration project will include masonry work, repairs and replacements of sandstone sections, along with minor repairs to the sidewalk and deck.
The bridge closed on April 17, 2019 due to sandstone fragments breaking off the east side of the north tower the day prior and reopened in August after the installation of protective netting around deteriorating portions of the bridge's upper towers.
It also temporarily closed this past fall for two days "due to numerous and continued violations of the bridge's weight limits," a tweet from the Covington Police Department explained.
The announcement of the upcoming closure came after a crash involving two semis — one carrying caustic potassium hydroxide — caused a fire on the Brent Spence Bridge yesterday, closing both levels of the bridge for several weeks while engineers evaluated the damage and made repairs.
The release suggests drivers use the Clay Wade Baily Bridge or 4th Street/Veteran Bridge to the Taylor Southgate Bridge as a detour.
