Trucks banned from Ky. bridge after cracks found

Inspectors found a crack in a half-inch-thick steel splice plate on the eastbound I-275 bridge Oct. 1 in Northern Kentucky, leading to the state Transportation Cabinet to ban truck traffic from the span, said spokesman Chuck Wolfe.

A splice plate is a piece of metal used to connect two long pieces of steel. The discovery came during a four-week period in which traffic was reduced from three lanes to two while testing and a regularly scheduled biennial inspection are conducted.

The ban will reduce the structure’s tension by about 50% at any location, Wolfe said.

"The truck ban is a conservative and precautionary step," he said. "We believe the bridge to be safe to travel otherwise, or else it would be closed."

He did not know how long the ban would be in effect, although he said it could be months before the plate is replaced.

The cabinet was using variable message boards to notify truck drivers of the ban, which does not affect the westbound bridge.