Interstate 75 near downtown Cincinnati has been reopened ahead of schedule after the Linn Street Bridge was demolished this weekend.
The Ohio Department of Transportation announced that a stretch of southbound I-75 reopened at around 2:30 p.m. April 19 after crews finished tearing down the remaining half of the bridge, according to a news release.
The southbound lanes were originally scheduled to be closed from 11 p.m. April 17 to 5 a.m. April 20. The north half of the bridge came down last weekend, with the northbound side of the interstate closed for the work.
In addition to the southbound lanes, the Western Hills Viaduct was also reopened April 19, but the entrance from Western Avenue remains closed.
Why was the Linn Street Bridge over I-75 demolished?
The Linn Street Bridge, between West Court and West Eighth streets, came down as part of the giant Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project. When rebuilt, it will include two driving lanes (down from five), with bike lanes and sidewalks on either side.
The $46.7 million Linn Street bridge project will also include some reconfiguration of West Court Street and Winchell Avenue, as well as replacement of a pedestrian bridge over Winchell.
Linn Street should reopen in the fall of 2027, with the overall project wrapping up by late spring 2029.
The new Linn Street bridge will better connect the neighborhoods of West End and Queensgate, according to transportation officials. It will also create space to build a new bridge over the Ohio River to the immediate west of the Brent Spence, a key feature of the overall $4 billion-plus project.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: I-75 reopens ahead of schedule after Linn Street Bridge demolition
