Repair project on Brent Spence Bridge wins national honor

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- An emergency repair project on a bridge between Cincinnati and northern Kentucky was nationally recognized.

The American Society of Highway Engineers named the emergency repairs on the Brent Spence Bridge the 2021 National Project of the Year under $20 million. It's the fourth engineering award the project has won.

Two semitrucks crashed and caught fire on the bridge in November 2020, shutting down the bridge that carries Interstates 71 and 75 over the Ohio River between Covington and Cincinnati. The six-week repair project was completed ahead of schedule, and repairs came in well under budget.

Officials with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said good weather allowed the repairs to be completed earlier than expected. The project also cost less than expected, as little as half of the projected $12 million price tag.

"The project team, knowing the importance of the Brent Spence Bridge, was laser focused on repairing and safely reopening it as quickly as possible," Gov. Andy Beshear said in a news release. "No one was thinking about awards at the time, but this recognition is well-deserved."

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said 160,000 vehicles use the Brent Spence Bridge every day.

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