Drivers who use State Route 14 through Streetsboro are facing at least six-months of detours following the discovery this week that a bridge could collapse. From Ohio Public Radio station WKSU, Kevin Niedermier has more.
Contractors working near the 31-year old bridge across Lake Rockwell noticed that the pillars holding it up had corroded and were buckling.
The Ohio Department of Transportation closed the bridge Monday, and says 160 foot long structure must be completely re-built. The work will begin immediately.
Streetsboro Mayor Glenn Broska is grateful a catastrophic collapse was avoided.
Broska: “Yes, it could have, but thankfully it was found and we took the steps necessary to insure that no one was hurt, that it didn’t collapse. You know, I thank God everyday, you know, for the last couple days that nothing did happen. And that somebody saw something and they said something.”
ODOT says the bridge passed a yearly inspection in April, and photos taken in July show no damage.
Inspectors are trying to determine what happened to the pillars since then.