In Ashtabula, frustration is piling up almost as fast as the concrete flakes on the sidewalk beneath the Lake Avenue bridge. Drivers and nearby residents say the 115-year-old span is literally falling apart, with chunks of concrete dropping and rust visible everywhere, and they want either serious repairs or a total replacement on the clock, not someday.
Resident Peter Scardino, who filed a formal complaint about the structure last year, has been one of the loudest voices sounding the alarm. He has described the bridge as “replete with rust and falling concrete” and says you “can just stick your hand through where steel should be.” City Manager Jim Timonere notes the bridge, built in 1909, sits close to the county’s largest hospital, which has only added to the anxiety over what would happen if the crossing had to close suddenly or failed without warning.
PUCO inspection documented falling concrete, called problems maintenance-level
A Public Utilities Commission of Ohio investigation that ran from last June through this past March did confirm some of what residents are seeing. An inspector reported damage on the bridge and concrete falling onto the sidewalk below the tracks, and the review noted CSX had not wrapped up repairs after being alerted to the issues. Even so, the PUCO report ultimately put the problems in the “maintenance deficiencies” category and stated the damage “does not impact the structural integrity of the bridge.” According to News 5 Cleveland, that official reassurance has not exactly soothed neighbors who can still see loose pieces of concrete on the sidewalk with their own eyes.
ODOT rating flags serious substructure concern
The city also released findings from an Ohio Department of Transportation municipal inspection completed in December, and that report turned up more red flags. The underpass earned a superstructure rating of “3 — Serious Condition,” while the substructure was also described as “serious,” citing missing rivets, widespread paint failure and sidewalk movement near the bases of the columns. Timonere says the city has passed those results on to the Federal Railroad Administration and Congressman David Joyce as part of its effort to push the track owner toward a concrete plan to stabilize or replace the bridge. Those inspection details were reported by the Star Beacon.
CSX says the bridge is safe for railroad operations
CSX, which owns the structure, has insisted to local media that the bridge is safe from its perspective. The company says “safety is the number one priority” and that bridges on its system are inspected at least once per calendar year under Federal Railroad Administration oversight. CSX has told reporters the Lake Avenue bridge “has been determined safe for railroad operations.” Residents and city leaders counter that yearly inspections have not stopped the rust, spalling concrete and other visible deterioration, and they say those issues justify a clear and urgent timeline for significant repairs or a full replacement. “Do I think it’s going to fall tomorrow — no,” Timonere told News 5 Cleveland, “but they need to do some serious work to this thing.”
What’s next
For now, the city is trying not to make a fragile situation worse. Officials say they plan to skip paving the portion of roadway beneath the underpass during a scheduled 2027 project so as not to disturb the already stressed area, and they will keep pressing federal regulators and their congressman to lean on CSX for temporary stabilization measures and, eventually, a full replacement. The Surface Transportation Board has reportedly contacted CSX after the city raised concerns, and the railroad told the agency it still believes the underpass is safe, according to reporting by the Star Beacon. In the meantime, drivers are being urged to use extra caution under the span while residents and city leaders keep pushing for a firm schedule and funding plan for long-term fixes.
