Police beg truckers to stay off historic suspension bridge during Brent Spence Bridge shutdown

Cincinnati police issued multiple messages on Wednesday to try to keep big rig drivers off a bridge with an 11 ton weight limit.

After a two truck crash triggered a hazmat incident and major fire on the Brent Spence Bridge shortly before 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning, transportation officials have closed the bridge until further notice as they work to ensure that the fire has not compromised the safety of the structure. The Brent Spence Bridge carries I-71 and I-75 and connects the cities of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky, over the Ohio River.

As truckers scramble to find alternate routes, several have been spotted using the Roebling Suspension Bridge, which was built in 1867 and also connects Cincinnati to Covington.

According to the Cincinnati Examiner, a dozen semis were spotted on the Roebling Suspension Bridge in less than an hour, in spite of the 11 ton weight restriction on the bridge.

In less than an hour, the Cincinnati Police Department took to Twitter twice to implore truck drivers to abide by the weight limits on the Roebling Suspension Bridge.

Signs are posted in the area. Please do not drive any vehicles over the 11 ton weight limit over the Roebling Suspension Bridge. pic.twitter.com/X3w3TNZnaP

— Cincinnati Police Department (@CincyPD) November 11, 2020

Police said, “If you are operating a tractor trailer or any heavy truck looking for a way to get around the I-75 closure of the Brent Spence Bridge, the Roebling Bridge is NOT an alternate route!!! The Roebling Suspension Bridge was opened in 1867. It’s historic, so let’s keep it that way!”

“Signs are posted in the area. Please do not drive any vehicles over the 11 ton weight limit over the Roebling Suspension Bridge,” the Cincinnati Police Department said in a Tweet.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says that the Brent Spence Bridge will be closed for several days at the least and that the closure could extend to a few weeks.