COVINGTON, Ky. — On Friday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced $12 million in Emergency Relief (ER) funds from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will go to help repair the Brent Spence Bridge after it was damaged in a fire caused by a truck crash earlier this week.
“These funds will help the safe and timely repair of the Brent Spence Bridge, which is such an important transportation link between Kentucky and Ohio and one of the busiest freight corridors in our nation,” Chao said in a release.
The bridge, which carries interstates 71 and 75 through Covington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio, is currently closed to all traffic while the damage continues to be assessed.
The fire resulted from a crash between a truck hauling chemicals and another truck on November 11. It caused significant damage to the bridge and repairs could take weeks.
The ER funding will help “initiate the most critical repairs,” according to a release from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
PHOTOS | Brent Spence Bridge damaged after fiery crash in Kentucky
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