What should be done about the Brent Spence Bridge? (Brooklyn: living, safe)

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by hensleya1

Hi WILWRadio--

A Brent Spence tunnel was considered some years ago I think but it was ruled out as far too expensive - remember the Big Dog in Boston cost some $25 billion before it was completed. Plus, it would make a 5th street entrance from Covington almost impossible (as well as play ham with the ramps leading from Fort Washington Way).

I'm still a fan of building a new bridge alongside the current Brent Spence, although it will most certainly mean the demolition of the B&O building on the Cincinnati side and several blocks on the Covington side including that hotel (I'm forgetting what its name is?). It would have to be at least five, maybe six lanes wide in each direction to handle the traffic, though.

No, build a new bridge alongside the current Brent Spence but keep it. If the new bridge is a double-decker same design as the Brent Spence it doesn't have to be more than 3 lanes wide each deck. Get the design drawings out for the Brent Spence and reproduce it. There has never been anything contending the Brent Spence was structurally unsound or a bad design, just that it was functionally obsolete, meaning its design capacity has been exceeded. The basic bridge design is used all over the world and is considered a sound design. If you want to hedge a little make it 4 lanes each deck instead of 3.

A tunnel under the river? What is this NYC or London? What a waste of money.

A new bridge just downstream from the BS and designated to carry through I-75 traffic. On both sides of the river sign and enforce the I-75 through traffic intent. On the Ohio side permit I-71 south traffic to take one ramp from Fort Washington Way to the I-75 south through traffic to the new bridge just to avoid the conjestion resulting from the local Covington ramps. I-71 traffic from the south has plenty of opportunity to declare whether to take the I-75 north dedicated traffic route or the current I-71 route across Fort Washington Way.

The existing BS ramps should be capable of handling the I-71 and local traffic pretty well as is.

As far as the age of the bridge, look at the B&O and Southern Railway bridges. Is anyone screaming they are about to fall down? No, in fact we have several advocating the solution is upping the rail freight to alleviate the load on the BS. Ironical how people tend to follow their own perspective on progress.

[jmecklenborg]

>No, build a new bridge alongside the current Brent Spence but keep it.

That is what they're doing. They are already moving utilities in anticipation of it. I have already said this but for some reason it's in one ear and out the other.

>Get the design drawings out for the Brent Spence and reproduce it.

This style bridge isn't built anymore. The new bridge will be a double-deck tied arch like the Big Mac. All of this has already been determined, 3-4 years ago.

>If you want to hedge a little make it 4 lanes each deck instead of 3.

It's going to be 5 lanes per deck. Again, this was determined 3-4 years ago. Yes, it's outrageous. So is a local media that is obsessed with the tiny streetcar project. This Brent Spence project is costing 20X as much. Yes, as much as 20 streetcar projects, yet it's received 1/20th the media attention. And yet you doubt that there was and still is a highly corrupt highway building conspiracy in this country.

>As far as the age of the bridge, look at the B&O and Southern Railway bridges. Is anyone screaming they are about to fall down?

No, and they carry much, much more weight and are each 30-40 years older. Again, you doubt that there is a corrupt highway building culture in the United States, when you have more or less just proven it to yourself. The bigger the lie -- in this case the bigger the bridge -- the more the people are convinced that it is necessary.

Please read this article I wrote 18 months ago:
Visit from President Obama raises political stakes surrounding the Brent Spence Bridge project — UrbanCincy

I have scans of articles in the Enquirer where they repeatedly errantly report on the bridge project, including one where they said it would be repaired and that it would be replaced in the same article. It's that kind of insanely inconsistent reporting that is responsible for the public's confusion.

[WILWRadio]

Probably the unions are behind the corruption. I'm relieved to here there may be little or no impact on the central business district of Covington. My life blood will be tied into it after I move there and develop my flea powered radio station there. The health of the Covington business community will solely drive or ruin my business.

[jmecklenborg]

Here is the direct link to the article where The Enquirer reported both that the bridge would be "replaced" and that it would "remain open":
http://cdn.urbancincy.com/wp-content...1/10/enq-5.jpg

Total insanity.

[rrtechno]

Options 2 and 3 above have portions of the structure very similar to the Veterans Memorial Skyway bridge just recently completed on I-280 at Toledo. They have had several instances where the bridge had to be closed in certain weather conditions as ice would form on the cables and fall in large chunks onto the bridge below, in some instances shattering windshields of vehicles crossing the bridge.

I know, Cincinnati is farther south than Toledo, but there is not enough distance that I don't see a potential similar problem in those designs.

Falling ice puts skyway traffic in deep freeze - Toledo Blade

[kjbrill]

This topic seems destined to be around for years. So I feel it should be kept visible so people formulate strong opinions as to how it is being handled.

The costs currently being put forward to me are rediculous. It smacks so much of the public commitment must be made so let's stick it to them.

[unusualfire]

It just went up more than a billion!!! $3.5 BILLION+ now.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...nclick_check=1

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

It just went up more than a billion more. $3.5 BILLION+

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...nclick_check=1

Somebody definitely needs to sharpen their pencil! These figures are totally out of range. It appears any public works project is just fair game for just add on another billion, who will notice?

[CraigCreek]

Seven years later, here we are, and now, Brent Spence Bridge is falling down.

Wish Fair Lady Elaine Chao, aka Mrs. Mitch McConnell and her spouse would take note.

[rrtechno]

Originally Posted by CraigCreek

Seven years later, here we are, and now, Brent Spence Bridge is falling down.

Wish Fair Lady Elaine Chao, aka Mrs. Mitch McConnell and her spouse would take note.

Except it isn’t really “falling down”. That wasn’t the issue then and it isn’t the issue now.