Niles-Vienna Road bridge set to reopen

VIENNA — The Niles-Vienna Road bridge over state Route 11 will be open again by Friday, after a $1 million repair project.

The Ohio Department of Transportation is completing the last few details of the project this week, including smoothing the deck surface and painting lines on it, said Justin Chesnic, information specialist. Chesnic said the exact day for the reopening is not known.

The bridge was damaged Dec. 18 when the boom of a garbage truck used to transport trash containers was accidentally left in the up position and struck the underside of the bridge.

The truck driver, Raymond F. Cross Jr. of Mercer, Pa., was killed.

Traffic was detoured from that part of Route 11 briefly, as was traffic from Niles-Vienna Road above Route 11. One-way traffic with traffic lights at each end of the bridge was restored to the bridge until June, when the repair project began.

Chesnic said the bridge was raised by 14 inches, which he said may prevent similar accidents.

The project also involved the replacement of two damaged beams and a complete new bridge deck, the part vehicles drive on.