93-year-old Cleveland bridge closes after analysis finds severe floor-beam deterioration

According to ODOT, the bridge was closed “out of an abundance of caution” and for “the safety of the public”. A bridge in Cleveland, Ohio, that opened in 1933 has been closed until further notice after a recent analysis found more extensive deterioration than previously identified. Officials said the closure was ordered for public safety while engineers work on both short-term and long-term solutions.The Brookpark Road bridge, also known as the State Route 17 bridge and located near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, is located between West 220th Street and NASA Parkway, Cleveland 19 news reported. It crosses Valley Parkway and the Cleveland Metroparks. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced that the bridge would close immediately for emergency repairs, citing concerns about parts supporting its driving surface.The closure came as ODOT and its consultants were working towards a major rehabilitation project that had been planned for the coming years. Construction had been tentatively scheduled to begin in 2028, but further analysis during the design process changed the timeline.The latest decision followed an annual inspection of the ageing bridge. ODOT said th...