CINCINNATI — Photos showing fallen concrete and exposed steel on the Western Hills Viaduct have gone viral on social media, raising concerns among drivers about the safety of one of the most heavily traveled bridges in the Tri-State area.
Stephan Pryor brought the concerns he had about the bridge to city council on Wednesday about the route that supports the traffic of 55,000 drivers each day.
"Western Hills Viaduct bridge needs to be fixed, it's falling down, you got cracks all in the bridge, you even have a net catching the rocks — you hear what I'm saying," Pryor said at the meetings. "It can fall down any time."
I drove under the Western Hills Viaduct to check out these concerns firsthand. There's fallen concrete, visible steel beams, and significant rust visible on the structure.
When I took these concerns directly to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), they said they had sent crews to inspect the areas highlighted on social media.
"We did have someone go out yesterday and inspect the areas in question that have been getting a lot of attention on social media, but they didn't find anything out of the ordinary or anything different than what we have noted in our previous inspections," said Kathleen Fuller, ODOT spokesperson.
Fuller explained that the viral posts showing falling concrete from a parapet wall don't indicate structural problems.
"A lot of people are asking if this was, you know, some sort of an emergency issue. No. And as a matter of fact, where they're going to be working isn't even the same area," said Fuller.
ODOT has scheduled a routine inspection for Saturday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Crews will evaluate the bottom portion of the upper deck and clean off any loose concrete.
Watch us tour the areas of the Viaduct in question in the video player below:
Despite these assurances, some residents remain concerned. Pryor, who was checking the viaduct after hearing about the upcoming inspection, worries about trucks exceeding the weight limit.
"The beams are rusted — they could have put cement over that — and did something to it," said Pryor.
During Saturday's inspection, the lower deck will be closed in both directions. The ramp from I-75 southbound to the lower deck using Harrison Avenue will also be closed.
Fuller says when motorists bring these issues to their attention, a crew is sent out to inspect the issue at any time. In a statement, city officials said that plans for a new viaduct are underway.
"The City remains committed to replacing the Western Hills Viaduct and continues to work with our regional, state and federal partners to ensure this project moves forward. As the City works through the design process for the replacement project, it performs regular maintenance and inspections on the viaduct. Safety precautions also include net installations to catch loose debris that otherwise may not be easily reached by maintenance crews, “ said Mollie Lair, Director of Communications.
Construction on the replacement of the Western Hills Viaduct is expected to begin in 2026.
The existing viaduct will remain in place until the new bridge is finished in 2030.
You can learn more about that project here.
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