Ironton-Russell Bridge

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name=Ironton-Russell Bridge


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carries= 2 lanes
crosses= Ohio River
locale= Ironton, Ohio and Russell, Kentucky
maint= Ohio Department of Transportation
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design= Cantilever bridge
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open= 1922
closed=
toll= Former
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The Ironton-Russell Bridge opened in 1922 as the first highway bridge along the Ohio River between Parkersburg, West Virginia and Cincinnati, Ohio "Ironton-Russell Bridge opened in 1922." Herald-Dispatch.] . 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. Later inspection of the bridge revealed that these plates had been been welded to the bridge using techniques that violated the bridge welding codes and reduced the fatigue strength of primary load members. As a result of these findings, ODOT added reinforcements to some vertical members to improve structural redundancy.

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. In addition, in May 2008, ODOT placed a width restriction on the bridge, banning all vehicles that are wider than 7 ft. 6 in. Emergency vehicles, non-commercial vehicles and non-profit busses (such as school busses) are exempt from the restriction. [ [http://www.dot.state.oh.us/dist9/Press%20Releases/052308%20Law-93C%20Width%20Restriction.PDF] ] ODOT has authorized both the Ironton and Russell city police, along with the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Kentucky State Police, to enforce the restriction. [ [http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/x1660283210 New width restrictions prohibit semi tractor-trailers, big trucks on Ironton-Russell bridge - Huntington, WV - The Herald-Dispatch ] ] Also, depending on the agency issuing the citation, volators may be cited in either the Ironton Municipal Court in Ohio or the Greenup County District Court in Kentucky.

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.

References

* cite conference
first = Mike
last = Lennett
coauthors =
title = Field Testing and Evaluation of the Ironton-Russell Truss Bridge
booktitle = Structures Congress 2001
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doi = 10.1061/40558(2001)167
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ee also

*List of crossings of the Ohio River

Further reading

* [http://www.bridgestunnels.com/index.php?catid=28&photos=0 Ironton-Russell Bridge at Bridges & Tunnels] .
* [http://www.historicbridges.org/ohio/irontonrussell/index.htm Ironton-Russell Bridge at Historic Bridges of Michigan and Elsewhere] .

Crossings navbox
structure = Bridges
place = Ohio River
bridge = Ironton-Russell Bridge
bridge signs =
upstream = Ben Williamson Memorial Bridge
upstream signs =
downstream = Jesse Stuart Memorial Bridge
downstream signs =