Greene County bridge wasn’t inspected, repaired for 3 decades. We tell you why

A bridge in Fairborn that hadn’t been inspected or maintained for more than three decades is set to get work done as part of Greene County’s plan for maintaining and repairing roads and bridges this year.

The lack of inspections or repairs came to light after confusion about which entity — city, county or state — had responsibility for the bridge.

The bridge that spans Beaver Creek just east of Interstate 675 on Dayton Yellow Springs Road “is in bad shape,” County Engineer Bob Geyer said during a presentation to county commissioners.

“It’s in dire need of maintenance, but it’s safe,” Geyer said.

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The bridge was inspected by a consultant last year after the Ohio Department of Transportation informed Geyer’s office that the bridge is under the county’s purview. Geyer said that came as a surprise because the bridge belongs to Fairborn.

“Back in 1985, that bridge was annexed into the city of Fairborn,” he said. “Three years later, the county engineer told ODOT to take that bridge off the county’s inventory … apparently someone dropped the ball … That bridge has basically sat since 1988 unmaintained, uninspected by any jurisdiction.”

On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the best condition, Geyer said that bridge rates a five or six.

“The outside four-foot decking of the bridge is completely gone. There’s nothing left there but gravel being held up by rebar,” he said.

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The lack of maintenance on the bridge surfaced as the city of Fairborn started plans with ODOT to build sidewalks on that stretch of Dayton Yellow Springs Road to create a safer environment for pedestrians, many of whom are Fairborn High School students, said Fairborn City Engineer Don O’Connor.

O’Connor said the sidewalks were added to a $1.3 million project slated to happen this year to widen the south and northbound exits from I-675 to Dayton Yellow Springs Road. Because that project is well into the planning stages, O’Connor said the sidewalks are not likely to be installed on the bridge this summer because of the questions on who should be maintaining it.

“It’s a very busy stretch of road,” he said. “If that bridge was not safe, it would cause a lot of traffic headaches in the area.”

Commission President Bob Glaser has requested that Geyer share with the commission the documents proving his claims, as it may become a negotiating point with ODOT.

“We need to get some of that straightened out. Otherwise, we’re stuck with it forever,” Glaser said during Thursday’s meeting.

ODOT put the onus back on the local governments.

“The owner of a bridge is tasked with the responsibility of recording any changes in jurisdiction,” said ODOT Spokesman Matt Bruning.

The bridge is slated to get $500,000 worth of work done this year, with ODOT kicking in $200,000 and the county covering the rest of the cost.

The work is part of the county’s $9.3 million budgeted this year for road and bridge maintenance projects.

One of the most significant projects that will impact traffic is on Upper Bellbrook Road, where bridge work will require a full road closure.

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That work is set to happen early this year and be finished by the spring to accommodate resurfacing that will lead to lane closures on Upper Bellbrook, Geyer said.

Another project in a high-traffic area will upgrade traffic lights on Wilmington Pike at Ohio 725 and resurfacing Wilmington Pike. Costs for the traffic signal upgrade and resurfacing, roughly $3 million, is being shared by the county, the city of Centerville and the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission.

Other projects of note include the widening and replacement of the arch bridge on South Street in Cedarville, a $525,000 project, half of which is being funded through a grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission.

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