WLWT: UC engineering expert discusses fire-damaged bridge

UC assistant professor Rachel Chicchi explains what happens next to Brent Spence Bridge

WLWT turned to University of Cincinnati engineers to explain what will happen to the Brent Spence Bridge after a fiery crash closed the span to all traffic this week.

The bridge over the Ohio River linking Ohio and Kentucky via I-75 was closed early Wednesday morning after a truck collided with a disabled vehicle on the span.

UC College of Engineering and Applied Science assistant professor Rachel Chicchi told WLWT that the extent of the damage caused by the crash and resulting fire will be known only after inspectors get a chance to assess it.

Chicchi teaches in UC's Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management.

In the meantime, officials also closed the John A. Roebling suspension bridge after heavy trucks in excess of the posted weight limit began using it as a detour.

Read the WLWT report.

Featured image at top: Baldwin Hall. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Creative + Brand

The Roebling suspension bridge with Cincinnati's skyline behind it.

Officials closed the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge as a precaution after heavy trucks began detouring over it in violation of the posted weight limit. File Photo/Jay Yocis/UC Creative + Brand.

Related Stories

1

'My health is priceless'

April 7, 2026

Weight loss drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, are changing more than waistlines — they're quietly transforming how people spend money, what they prioritize and who can afford better health. As Local 12/WKRC-TV recently reported, for some patients, the medications are life-changing. For others, the cost can be overwhelming.

2

Alex Apyan: Get to know the UC Bearcat turned Orion program team member

April 7, 2026

For UC grad Alex Apyan, his time as a student-athlete on the Bearcats’ football team has only been a precursor to a successful career that currently has him as an integral part of the Mission Planning and Analysis team with the Orion Program. A native of Chattanooga, Tenn., and graduate of UC's aerospace engineering program, Apyan was a long snapper for the Bearcats from 2007-11. Now, he has an important role in the multi-purpose crew vehicle used in NASA’s Artemis program, helping the first crewed flight launch last week.

3

Investing in the minds that shape our skyline

April 6, 2026

In 2002, the City of Cincinnati began the demolition of the 32-year-old Riverfront Stadium. This created a slew of memories for Cincinnati residents who knew the stadium as the home of the “Big Red Machine” baseball dynasty and the place where Cincinnati hosted three World Series Championships. Riverfront Stadium was especially meaningful to its former construction manager, Donald E. Wehmeyer, Eve ’61.