Years of inspection reports obtained by a newspaper show that a high-traffic bridge over the Ohio River is deteriorating.
The 51-year-old Brent Spence Bridge — which carries traffic on Interstate 75 between Cincinnati and Covington, Kentucky — has received lower grades throughout the 10 years of inspection reports obtained through a public-records request by The Cincinnati Enquirer.
The bridge's overall "sufficiency" rating, on a scale from 1 to 100, was 59 in last year's report. The bridge rated a 78 in 2006. It has gotten worsening scores in major categories of upkeep, maintenance and structural integrity.
The bridge has been deemed safe, but its deteriorating condition concerns some experts. The problem continues to be lack of a funding plan or construction start date for the $2.4 billion replacement job.
