Inspectors say the Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River is safe despite concrete pieces that recently from a ramp to the span.
The 50-year-old bridge carries traffic from I-71 and I-75 along one of the busiest commercial shipping routes in the United States. The Federal Highway Administration has labeled the bridge "functional obsolete" for its narrow lanes that often snarl traffic between Cincinnati and northern Kentucky. Ohio Department of Transportation spokesperson Brian Cunningham says the bridge is "structurally sound" though some areas are degrading. He says the falling concrete last weekend that heavily damaged a car underscores the need for routine maintenance and inspections. A proposal to replace the bridge with another span is under consideration, but there is debate over how to pay for it.
