PICKAWAY COUNTY, Ohio (November 12, 2024) – A long-awaited roadway in Pickaway County has reopened today, marking the completion of a major infrastructure project that has been nearly a decade in the making. The McLean Mill Road Bridge in Jackson Township, which had been closed for almost ten years due to safety concerns, is now back in service after an over 100-year-old iron-truss bridge was replaced with a new, modern structure.
Florence Bridge before
After nearly a decade of closure, the Florence Bridge in Pickaway County is officially open to traffic once again, providing safer and more reliable access for local residents and businesses. The bridge had been closed in 2016 due to safety concerns, but the long-awaited reopening follows the completion of a major reconstruction project that replaced the 106-year-old iron-truss structure with a modern, wider span designed to handle larger vehicles, including farm equipment.
The original Florence Bridge, which opened in 1915 after the 1913 flood, had served the community well for over a century. However, by 2016, age had taken a toll on the structure, prompting the county to reduce its load capacity by 50%. Over time, the bridge continued to deteriorate, and officials made the difficult decision to close it entirely for safety reasons.
Pickaway County Engineer Chris Mullins recalled that the decision to close the bridge came after years of seeing trucks and larger vehicles attempt to cross, often sneaking through despite weight restrictions. “We knew it wasn’t safe anymore. The bridge had reached the point where we couldn’t take the risk,” Mullins said.
The closure left local residents with a four-mile detour, affecting both everyday commuters and agricultural traffic. The replacement project, however, was not without its challenges. “It took a long time to secure the necessary funding and work through the environmental and regulatory approvals,” Mullins explained. “This was a six-year process, from funding to design, right-of-way issues, and finally getting the project underway.”
The funding for the new bridge was announced six years ago, but the detailed work of planning, acquiring permits, and designing the structure took additional time. Once the green light was given, construction crews signed the contract for the new bridge in November 2023, and work began in earnest the following spring. Mullins noted that this summer’s mild weather helped keep the project on schedule, with minimal delays caused by rain.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the opening of the bridge that consists of 147-foot long, 72-inch deep precast concrete I-beams, each weighing over 178,000 pounds, that were carefully positioned to complete the bridge, which spans Big Darby Creek, a State and National Scenic River. The McLean Mill Road Bridge project involved a 1,850-foot roadway realignment, with the new curved bridge improving safety and traffic flow.
While the Florence Bridge’s closure was a setback, it came at a particularly challenging time. Mullins and his team were already working on two other major bridge projects, including a new span over Big Darby Creek to the north. At the same time, the Gantz Bridge on Scioto Darby Road, west of Commercial Point, had also been closed due to corrosion and was at risk of failing.
“Replacing these bridges takes years,” Mullins noted. “We need to secure federal funding, go through engineering plans, and navigate environmental regulations, especially when you’re dealing with a special watershed like Big Darby Creek.”
The new Florence Bridge has been reconfigured and widened to allow for better traffic flow, offering greater ease of use for drivers and future generations. The updated design also addresses safety concerns that plagued the old bridge, such as narrow lanes and poor visibility that sometimes resulted in drivers meeting halfway across the span and needing to back up.
While the old Florence Bridge has been replaced, it wasn’t demolished. Instead, it was carefully deconstructed and is being repurposed for future use. The Pickaway County Park District is planning to recondition the bridge and use parts of it in two locations within Canal Park, just a few miles from its original location. This reuse was made possible by a recent grant from the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). Thge marquee “flroecen bridge” that stood on top of the original structure is currently being restored and will find a place back on the bridge in a future date.
“The bridge is part of our history, and we’re thrilled to give it a second life in our local parks,” said Pickaway County Park District officials. “The TAP grant will allow us to preserve its legacy while providing something meaningful for future generations.”
For Pickaway County residents, the reopening of the Florence Bridge is a long-awaited victory, ending a detour that has lasted for almost a decade and improving access for those living in the northwest part of the county. It’s a project that highlights both the challenges of maintaining infrastructure and the commitment to preserving local history while meeting the needs of modern-day communities.
