The Sherman Minton Renewal project team said it closed the bridge Friday afternoon as a preventative measure for the public. Workers on Wednesday night found the top deck’s floor beams out of alignment.
Engineers inspected the beams and surrounding areas over the weekend, which led to “favorable results,” the team said in a press release Sunday night. It’s now analyzing the findings, but hasn’t provided a timeline on when the bridge will reopen to traffic.
“We are taking all necessary measures to ensure a thorough inspection and complete analysis before determining next steps in reopening the bridge,” said Danny Corbin, a project manager with the Indiana Department of Transportation, in the release.
The Sherman Minton Bridge carries Interstate 64 across the Ohio River, connecting Louisville to New Albany. It’s one of two non-tolled options in the city to cross over to Indiana, the other being the Clark Memorial Bridge, which was recently shut down for more than a day after an accident left a semi truck dangling over the Ohio River for hours.
The Renewal team is recommending motorists use the Interstate 65 and 265 bridges while the Sherman Minton is unavailable.
Officials haven’t discussed how the closure will affect project work on the bridge, which the team estimated would be finished by the end of spring. Officials are renovating it to add about 30 years to its lifespan.
This story may be updated.
