2002 US-231 William H. Natcher Bridge over Ohio River bypassing Owensboro, KY

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Satellite)

This 4,505' (1,373m) long bridge has a main span of 1200' (366m). [BridgeHunter]

 

Street View, Aug 2012

Dan Murphy posted
William H. Natcher Bridge near Rockport, IN

rockportky_bridges

 

Mar 2015 Photo by Adam during the flooding via BridgeHunter

Facebook Reel

IUOE Community posted five photos with the comment:

If you’ve ever crossed the William H. Natcher bridge between Owensboro and Rockport, IUOE 181 helped make it happen. Building useful infrastructure and noticeable landmarks is just one thing that makes our work so rewarding..

.

Post Credit: IUOE Local 181

1

2

3

4

5

Barrier Dam on Mill Creek in Cincinnati, OH

(Satellite)

This dam is part of the flood wall and levee system between Cincinnati and the Ohio River. When the Ohio River floods, the gate will be lowered so that the Ohio River can't flow up Mill Creek and flood the valley. I presume that the building houses pumps that allow Mill Creek to continue to flow into the Ohio River when the gate is down.

Street View, May 2025

Satellite

An example of the flood wall. The bridge is the Cincinnati Southern Bridge.

Street View, Jul 2022

Kevin's comment taught me about this dam.

Timeless Baseball Pics posted via Dennis DeBruler

Kevin Harmon: That picture is of the flooded Mill Creek. The flooded Ohio River backed up the Mill Creek. Later a dam was built across the mouth of the Mill Creek. It's called the Barrier Dam and prevents the river from backing up the creek.

1959,1994 PA-51 East Rochester-Monaca Bridge over Ohio River

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

Street View, Sep 2024

Street View, Jul 2023

HistoricBridges
This cantilever bridge has a main span of 730' (222.5m) and a total length of 2,037' (621m).
"The bridge's central truss span has very short cantilever arms (only three panels), making the suspended span unusually long, occupying the majority of the central span with its fourteen panels."

Beaver County, Penna Historic Exploration posted

East Rochester- Monaca bridge

Dark blue bridge still in use

Completed 1959

Made to toll bridge 1973

2010 photo by Jason Smith via BridgeHunter

This bridge is in the background and the Rochester-Monaca Bridge is in the foreground.

Climbing Skies posted
Barges being brought back down the Ohio River and in between the E. Rochester / Monaca & Rochester / Monaca Bridges in Beaver County, PA. 

I think this photo is of this bridge. In general, the containers on the two cars in the left foreground carry garbage. Or sometimes contaminated dirt. Note that they are heavy enough that they can only put six containers on a car even though there is room for eight.

Climbing Skies posted
Train on the tracks and the old toll bridge spanning the Ohio River in Beaver County, PA.

This confirms that the above photo is of this bridge.

Climbing Skies posted
Looking down the Ohio River towards the East Rochester-Monaca (old toll) Bridge in Beaver County, PA. The bridge opened in 1959 and was tolled until 1973. 

The PA-18 Bridge is in the foreground.

Climbing Skies posted
Blue bridges spanning the Ohio River during the morning in Beaver County, PA

I-471 Daniel Carter Beard (Big Mac) Bridge damaged by playground fire at Cincinnati, OH

See Big Mac Bridge for the regular description of the bridge. These notes concentrate on the destruction of the north approach of the southbound lanes by a playground fire.

WLST posted three photos with the comment: "PHOTOS: Demolition work continues Monday as crews work to make repairs on Big Mac Bridge. (📷: ODOT)."

[As some comments pointed out, the beams did not melt; they buckled because they became too weak to hold their load. It takes significantly less heat to weaken steel than it does to melt it.]

Bridges & Tunnels shared with the comment: "Demolition work is under way on the Daniel Carter Beard “Big Mac” Bridge."

1

2

3

The Google Maps label for the playground indicates that it is temporarily closed. Here are some before photos. It was built with a lot of plastic. And I wonder how flammable the mat material is.

Brett Stakelin, Jun 2024

It looks like they were lucky that the northbound lanes were not also destroyed.

Brett Stakelin, Jun 2024

Brett Stakelin, Jun 2024

Brett Stakelin, Jun 2024

Jan 19, 2025: the 7 new girders have been delivered and installed.

9:27 video @ 0:05

A clip from an ODOT video.

@ 2:01

Second I-75+I-71 Brent Spence Bridge over Ohio River at Cincinnati, OH

(Satellite)

This bridge is being built just downstream of the old bridge.

The Walsh Group posted two photos with the comment:

The design of the companion bridge for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project has been unveiled, marking a major milestone in the 8-mile infrastructure transformation that will enhance safety, reduce congestion, and reconnect communities across Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky! 

The cable-stayed design, selected for its function, aesthetics, and cost efficiency, will create a new regional landmark while easing one of the nation’s most critical freight bottlenecks.

With federal approval of the bridge type now in place, the Walsh Construction - Kokosing Construction design-build team will advance the project into final engineering and construction. The new companion bridge will carry I-71 and I-75 traffic, while the existing Brent Spence Bridge will be reconfigured for local use, delivering long-anticipated improvements to mobility, safety, and economic growth throughout the corridor. https://brentspencebridgecorridor.com/governors-dewine.../

Mike Hilgendorf: Breaking ground 2050!!

Mike Tierney: Mike Hilgendorf I heard that last night.

I believe the current bridge will collapse by then.

I did hear the current bridge is in better condition than the public realizes.

Got that Intel from a reliable source.

Mark Schauer: I don’t hate it. Just wish they’d demo the ugly old one afterwards. [This is the first time I've seen someone call a truss bridge ugly.]

1

2

3

BrentSpenceBridgeCorridor

BrentSpenceBridgeCorridor_media

I was about to skip over the exaggerated "we have a problem part" when I noticed this image. It looks like the bridge has been shutdown for a while at least once for an expensive repair. He starts talking about the replacement at 2:59.

8:03 video @ 1:15
America's WORST Traffic Bottleneck Gets a $3.6 BILLION Makeover

@ 3:15

The new bridge will handle the through traffic (as he keeps saying: Michigan to Florida), and the old bridge will handle the local traffic. 160,000 "cars" per day

@ 3:58

The old bridge is getting a full structural rehabilitation.

@ 4:26

@ 5:46

I-69 Ohio River Crossing Bridge at Evansville + Henderson

(Satellite, construction of the bridge is planned for 2027-31.)

To avoid the stigma of a "bridge to nowhere," they are first going to build roads to nowhere in Kentucky and then in Indiana.

i69ohiorivercrossing_maps

I could not find a rendering of the bridge so I don't know if it will be a cable-stayed or tied-arch bridge. But given the recent track record for Ohio River bridges, it will probably be another cable-stayed bridge.

Aug 2025:

The Walsh Group posted three photos with the comment:

New bridge beams are now being set as part of Section 3 of the I-69 Ohio River Crossing. Walsh Construction and Traylor Bros., Inc. are building the approach roadways and bridges in Evansville, Indiana that will serve as essential, all-weather construction access for the future I-69 bridge over the Ohio River. With foundation and substructure work well underway, more than 500 piles have been driven and thousands of cubic yards of concrete poured, making way for beam placement and deck pours this season.

Spanning a total of 7,250 linear feet, the three bridges in Section 3 will feature 180 prestressed, precast lightweight high-performance concrete beams, measuring up to 188 feet long and weighing 100 tons. Despite challenges like high water events and complex geotechnical conditions, the project remains on schedule. The placement of new beams represents another major sign of progress for this critical infrastructure connection. Read more about Section 3 here: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/indot.../68633

Brandon Storie: Think I saw these yesterday on 265w as they came across the east end bridge, they were some pretty big beams and being police escorted.

[Looks like the approaches are being built with pre-cast concrete girders.]

1

2

3

Seven photos from ConstructionEquipmentGuide:

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

The Walsh Group posted six photos with the comment: "Concrete placement for the I-69 Ohio River Crossing first approach bridge deck in Evansville, Indiana took 12 hours of continuous pouring and over 170 truckloads of concrete!"

Brenda Mike Cown: About 130 cu yd per hour. Good looking placement. mc, retired GDOT

1

2

3

4

5

6

Feb 27, 2026:

The Walsh Group posted three photos with the comment:

The final beams have been set on the last approach bridge for Section 3 of the I-69 Ohio River Crossing; marking another major milestone for  Walsh Construction and Traylor Bros., Inc., working together as I-69 ORX Constructors.

Across the three Indiana approach bridges that make up Section 3, 180 prestressed, precast concrete beams were installed, with each measuring up to 188 feet in length and weighing as much as 100 tons,

[I've seen steel beams bend upward before their expected static load is applied, but I think this is the first time I've seen precast concrete girders bend upward.]

1
[The crane is a MLC250]

2

3