After a 100-day closure due to severe fire damage, the southbound lanes of Interstate 471 are set to reopen tomorrow evening, as confirmed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn. The swift reconstruction of the southbound lanes, which are part of the key route over the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, stands as a testament to the commitment and efficiency of the Ohio Department of Transportation and its various partners. Governor DeWine praised the team's efforts, stating, "Reopening southbound access to this bridge in just over three months is a tremendous accomplishment," according to the City of Cincinnati, a press release from the ODOT.
ODOT teamed up with Great Lakes Construction, over two dozen subcontractors, and other strategic partners to not only design and demolish the impaired parts of the bridge but also to fabricate new materials necessary for the reconstruction. The final steps before Sunday's reopening include grooving the bridge deck and completing pavement striping. ODOT promises to notify the public about the exact time of the reopening, roughly an hour before the barricades are removed, and to post the update across its social media platforms.
The temporary closure of I-471 required traffic pattern adjustments by the Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE) and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to manage the congestion. These adjustments span traffic signal timings and lane configurations at various intersections and ramps. With the impending return to normal traffic flow, Cincinnati DOTE has outlined specific changes, such as reset timings at intersections like Taylor Southgate Bridge/Broadway/Pete Rose Way and modifications to turn lanes at Liberty/Reading/I-471 ramp, which will follow the completion of sewer construction by the end of February 2025.
Across the river in Kentucky, KYTC signal engineers will revert the signal timings to pre-construction modes around 2-3 hours after the southbound lanes reopen. Signal adjustments in Newport and Covington will include shortened phases and returns to their original settings at multiple streets, as detailed in a press release. Upgraded traffic controllers, installed in November, are set to support the transition and ongoing traffic monitoring geared towards enhancing traffic flow efficiency through Newport and Covington's arteries post-reopening.
