The structurally deficient Oxbow Bridge that is part of Richland Avenue will undergo long-awaited repairs after funds from a local income tax hike and a federal grant arrive next year.
An estimated $2.5 million will be needed to renovate the bridge, said Andy Stone, director of Engineering and Public Works.
Although a grant from the Federal Highway Administration will cover most of the costs, Athens is required to provide at least 20 percent of the total budget, according to the state's Municipal Bridge Program Policy.
The city's share, an estimated $500,000, will come from a 0.1 percent income tax raise that Athens voters approved last November.
In 2008, the bridge was certified deficient because of necessary renovations, Stone said. The bridge undergoes annual inspections as required by the Ohio Department of Transportation and received a deficient rating.
A utilities building under the bridge was being inspected in 2008
and we wanted to take a closer look at the structure Stone said. A more detailed inspection, including the concrete deck and steel structure, was completed and found troubling results, he added.
The bridge was then rated as structurally deficient after garnering a score of four out of nine, Stone said.
The title doesn't mean (the bridge) is going to fall down but it needs some work
he said.
Built in 1932, it is the oldest major bridge in Athens, Stone said. This project will be its first major renovation since construction and the first work performed since minor repairs in the 1980s, he said.
Currently, the project is still in the pre-design stage, Stone said. Further planning will be completed this year, and a contractor will bid for the job sometime between February and April 2012 with construction scheduled to begin soon afterward.
Though the bridge spanning the Hocking River on Richland Avenue remained partially open during its repairs, this project will close the structure entirely for 60 days.
We wanted to minimize the effect on those in Athens during construction
Stone said. It will be a short summer because (Ohio University) will be switching from quarters to semesters
so we have a tight schedule.
Closing the entire bridge may cause more of an inconvenience, but granting workers the entire area will help repairs and minimize effects in the long run, Stone said.
About four years ago, the collapse of the I-35 bridge that crossed the Mississippi River in Minnesota showed the importance of regular maintenance.
Spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Transportation Debra Fought said that although the Oxbow Bridge differs from the I-35 bridge structurally, the tragedy has motivated engineers to inspect bridges even more closely.
The project will replace the concrete deck, strengthen and replace portions of the steel structure, and repaint the span, Stone said. He estimates the project will create about 30 construction jobs for three to five months.
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