City approves agreement, money for 'poor' bridge, two major streets

The replacement of one of Cincinnati lowest-rated bridges is closer to fruition following legislation passed by Cincinnati City Council on June 12.

The ordinance authorizes the City to enter into a Local Public Agency agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for replacement of the Marburg Avenue Bridge over the Norfolk Southern Railroad in Oakley. It also authorizes the City to accept $1.63 million from the Federal Highway Administration Local Bridge Funding program, which is administered by ODOT and the County Engineers Association of Ohio.

Owned by Hamilton County, the bridge is maintained by the City through contractual agreement. The bridge is one of 19 within the City limits rated as "poor" in the 2012 Annual Bridge Condition Report, and is one of only four County bridges to be rated so low.

The City's local match of $410,000 will be provided by the County as defined in the contract.

Also on June 12, City Council authorized the City to enter into a Local Public Agency agreement with ODOT to rehabilitate portions of Kellogg Avenue and River Road, and to accept $2.25 million from the Federal Highway Administration funding for the work.

Kellogg Avenue will be rehabilitated from Salem Road to Sutton Avenue; River Road will be improved from Dart Street to the corporation limit.

A local match of $2.5 million will be provided through Department of Transportation and Engineering capital project account funds.

Previous reading on BC:
Report: Condition of City bridges improved (3/19/13)
Condition of City bridges remains stable (3/29/12)
Cincinnati bridge conditions decline slightly, but still sound (6/1/10)
2008 Cincinnati bridge condition report released (4/29/09)