CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 3 Bridge Program Function and Performance Measures 5 Bridge Conditions 8 Investment in Our Bridge Infrastructure 16 2016/17 Bridge Project Summary 18 Western Hills Viaduct Replacement 21 City (Bridge Program) Bridges 6-Year Plan 24 County Bridges 6-Year Plan 26 Appendices Appendix A Explanation of Rating System Appendix B 2016 Individual Inspection Reports City (Bridge Program) Bridges County Bridges Wasson Way Bridges Fort Washington Way Bridges City (Skywalk) Bridges City (Other) Bridges Railroad Bridges Private Bridges 2 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Bridges are an essential part of Cincinnati’s transportation the ODOT Bridge Inspection Manual. The remaining network, linking roadways and communities. Timely bridges, which are part of the Interstate and State Highway maintenance is critically important for the safety and Systems are inspected by ODOT. As the City has no welfare of the traveling public. The Department of inspection or major maintenance responsibility for these Transportation and Engineering (DOTE) is the city agency bridges, they are not included in this report. primarily responsible for inspecting, maintaining, and improving the transportation system within the City The objectives of DOTE’s Bridge Inspection Program of Cincinnati. The Bridge Program (BP) is the specific are to: program within DOTE charged with the responsibility of 1. Provide a current information base on the condition of maintaining the bridges within this transportation system. bridges within Cincinnati so that maintenance, repair, This report is the annual update to City Council informing and replacement projects can be programmed Council of the condition of the bridges in Cincinnati and efficiently. DOTE's efforts to maintain Cincinnati’s bridge 2. Ensure that the structures continue to satisfy present infrastructure. service and safety requirements. 3. Determine the need for establishing or revisiting In conformance with state law, every bridge in weight restrictions on bridges. Cincinnati is inspected on an annual basis. The Ohio 4. Determine and locate the extent of any structural Department of Transportation (ODOT) Bridge Inspection weakness or damage so that appropriate corrective Manual defines a bridge as “Any structure, including actions can be taken to ensure public safety. supports, of 10 feet or more clear span or 10 feet or more 5. Satisfy state and federal regulations. in diameter on, above, or below a highway”. Within the City limits there are about 450 structures which meet this Following the completion of each annual bridge inspection criteria and are therefore classified as bridges. Of these cycle, this report is issued by DOTE to inform City Council 450 bridges, 232, (which include 2 trail/pedestrian bridges of the condition of the bridges in Cincinnati which are not over highways), are inspected by DOTE Bridge specifically inspected by DOTE personnel. This report also Program personnel, as well as 4 additional bridges outside functions as an annual update to inform City Council on of the City limits that were purchased by the City as part of how the funds allocated to the Bridge Program are being the Wasson Way acquisition. These inspections are utilized. performed in accordance with the guidelines specified in 3 INTRODUCTION Based upon maintenance responsibility, the 236 DOTE-inspected bridges are divided into the following eight categories: 7. Railroad Bridges • 49 bridges: Railroad bridges that cross over public roadways. CSXT, GWRR, Norfolk- 1. City (Bridge Program) Bridges • 65 bridges: Southern, and SORTA own and maintain these Vehicular and pedestrian bridges owned by the City bridges. and maintained by DOTE with designated bridge 8. Private Bridges • 53 bridges: Privately owned, program funds, 17 of which are pedestrian only mostly pedestrian and utility bridges that cross over structures. public roadways. The applicable private owners 2. County Bridges • 26 bridges: Vehicular bridges maintain these bridges. within City limits that support improved roads which are of general and public utility running into or through Starting July 1st, 2014 an ODOT sponsored 3 year Cincinnati. By contractual agreement with Hamilton inspection program went into effect. Through this program, County, DOTE maintains these bridges. Hamilton ODOT hired a consultant to perform inspections and load County funds the work performed on these bridges ratings for bridges carrying highway traffic that would with the Municipal Road Fund. normally be inspected by the local municipality. The City of 3. Wasson Way Bridges • 8 bridges: Acquired by the Cincinnati opted to participate in this program at no direct City from Norfolk Southern in September 2016 to carry cost to the City. As a result, in the 2016 inspection season a future trail and possible light rail facilities. The trail (which began in February 2016 and was concluded in including the bridges are being developed and January 2017), fifty-three out of the 236 bridges that are maintained with designated DOTE Wasson Way typically inspected by DOTE personnel were inspected by funds. the ODOT selected consultant, HDR. Additional 4. Fort Washington Way Bridges • 5 bridges: Bridges “maintenance inspections” were performed by DOTE over Ft. Washington Way constructed with the Ft. personnel for 48 of the 53 consultant inspected bridges to Washington Way reconstruction project. DOTE shares identify issues that need timely upkeep and relate these to maintenance responsibility for these bridges with City work crews. Starting in 2017, this state sponsored ODOT. program will no longer be available to cities with a 5. City (Skywalk) Bridges • 16 bridges: Central population over 100,000 and DOTE Bridge Program Business District pedestrian bridges on the skywalk personnel will again inspect and rate all 236 bridges. system owned by the City. The Department of Public Services and property owners adjacent to the bridges Throughout the remainder of this report, most of the maintain these structures. Generally, DOTE is discussion will be focused on the 65 City (BP) bridges, the responsible for the major rehabilitation of these 26 County bridges and the 8 newly acquired Wasson Way bridges. The Skywalk Bridge over Race Street (2nd S bridges as DOTE is responsible for maintaining these 99 of 5th Street) has recently been removed as part of the bridges. Pogues Garage Removal, which will be reflected in the 2017 Bridge Condition Report. The individual bridge inspection reports for all 236 bridges 6. City (Other) Bridges • 14 bridges: Unique City under the City’s inspection responsibility are included in owned structures located on, over, or under a roadway Appendix B of this annual report. The bridge inspection that technically qualify as bridges. Various City reports are grouped in the order listed above (#1 through agencies including Parking Facilities, Stormwater #8). Within each group, the individual bridge inspection Management Utility and the Park Board maintain these reports are arranged alphabetically by bridge name. bridges. 4 FUNCTION AND PERFORMANCE FUNCTION AND PERFORMANCE BRIDGE PROGRAM FUNCTION AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES 2. Performance Measure: Bridge Program personnel will develop plans, request The goal of the Bridge Program is to preserve the funding, schedule, and manage bridge maintenance, structural integrity of all bridges that DOTE maintains so repair, and replacement work so as to maintain that they remain safe for the traveling public. DOTE a Weighted Average Bridge Rating of 6 or better for established the following performance measures to track bridges maintained by the DOTE Bridge Program its progress in accomplishing this objective. (BP). A bridge General Appraisal rating of 6 represents a “Satisfactory” condition, which indicates that all 1. Performance Measure: primary structural elements are sound but may show Bridge Program personnel will annually inspect or will some minor deterioration. cause to be inspected by a consultant all bridges on, Progress: As identified in this report, the present over, or under public roadways within the City of Weighted Average Bridge Rating for City (BP) bridges Cincinnati (excluding bridges inspected by ODOT and is 6.99. ODOT assigned consultants) and submit this annual bridge condition report, in compliance with the Ohio 3. Performance Measure: Revised Code, Section 723.54. Bridge Program personnel will develop plans, request Progress: During the 2016 bridge inspection cycle, all funding, schedule, and manage bridge maintenance, such 236 bridges were inspected. The results of those repair, and replacement work so that no less than 95% inspections are compiled in this report. of City (BP) bridges are open with no load restrictions. Progress: As identified in this report, 98% of all City (BP) bridges are open with no load restrictions. Hopple Street Viaduct, 2016 pier # 26 expansion joint repair. 5 FUNCTION AND PERFORMANCE BRIDGE LOAD RATINGS – CHANGE IN POLICY BACKGROUND In accordance with the National Bridge Inspection precluded by Ohio law. FHWA has established a time Standards, all bridges on public roads must be load line that all bridges need to be rated accordingly by rated and posted with a weight restriction, if necessary, December 31, 2022. for all vehicles which are legally permitted to be on the road. In the past decade, the trucking industry has In order to comply with the new FHWA policies, the Ohio introduced closely-spaced, multi-axle single unit trucks, Department of Transportation (ODOT)