Ironton-Russell Bridge
Ironton, Ohio & Russell, Kentucky
(photos: bridge by CMH2315fl/Flickr (cc); nest by Ohio DNR)The Ironton–Russell Bridge opened in 1922 as the first highway bridge along the Ohio River between Parkersburg, West Virginia and Cincinnati, Ohio. Soon, the Ironton-Russell bridge was followed by numerous others at Ashland, Portsmouth, and Huntington. This light-blue cantilever bridge carries two lanes of traffic and a narrow sidewalk.
In 2000, the Ohio Department of Transportation released a report recommended the replacement of the then 78 year old span. The bridge was retrofitted in the 1970s with strengthening beams and plates. The bridge will still be forced to close when temperatures approach -5 degrees Fahrenheit due to the brittle nature of the steel used. Continuous monitoring is routine during temperatures below freezing to check for any cracking in the substructure of the span. One of the replacements considered was a three-lane single-tower cable suspension bridge. The final design was chosen in January 2003, however, the high costs of constructing the bridge became apparent when costs for the new bridge came in at $110 million, well over the original estimated cost. The sharp rise was attributed to the dramatic increase in construction costs partially blamed on Hurricane Katrina, which increased the cost of concrete materials and items derived from petroleum products. The bridge has been redesigned with two-towers and has been reduced from three lanes to two. Construction on the replacement span began in March 2012 just upstream from the current structure. The current bridge will remain open during construction and will be closed and demolished once the new bridge is open.
there is no webcam at this locationMay 18, 2004 - six members of the Ohio Division of Wildlife were inspecting the Ironton-Russell Bridge to identify two potential peregrine falcon chicks nesting on a bridge pier. But when the wildlife officials were granted a closer look at the nest, they found four peregrine falcon chicks instead. The birds, one of the fastest animals on earth with a recorded top speed of 242 miles per hour, have been known to swoop down and peck at the heads of unsuspecting pedestrians on the bridge. As a result of the birds and their endangered status, the pedestrian walkway was closed.
March 2016 - Construction on the new bridge (upstream from the old bridge) began in 2012 and could be open before the end of 2016. By March 2016 the new $81.3 million bridge was more than 83 percent complete, according to Kathleen Fuller, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Transportation's District 9 office. Efforts to keep the old bridge open as a historical (it was completed in 1922), pedestrian span after the new one is completed hadn't (as of March) gained a lot of traction. Plans are in place to demolish the old bridge in 2017, Fuller said. Officials also will make an effort to relocate a pair of peregrine falcons from beneath the old bridge before it is torn down, Fuller said. "They're pretty good about relocating themselves," she said.
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