CSX says Lorain bridges OK

LORAIN — Two railroad bridges in Lorain are structurally sound, according to the railroad company. CSX rail staff accompanied city officials on Thursday to inspect the East 28th Street and West 21st Street bridges and gave both a relatively clean bill of health, city Safety/Service Director Rey Carrion said. Both bridges are about 120 years old and were built to handle the heavy steam engines at the time, Carrion said. "We don't have anything now that comes close to that weight capacity, "Carrion said, noting the four-track bridges can carry about 1,000 tons. While neither bridge may be the most aesthetically pleasing, CSX staff assured the city both were still structurally sound. Sheriee Bowman, a spokesperson for the rail company, confirmed its staff visually inspected the two bridges and found them safe for continued operations. Each bridge is inspected annually, she said. "While we understand concerns related to the bridge's appearance, it is important to note aesthetics of a rail bridge rarely have anything to do with its structural integrity," she said in an email. "We remain committed to maintaining an open line of communication with local officials and addressing any concerns." The south side bridge may get a facelift in the coming years, Carrion said, as discussions with CSX revealed the city could submit an application to the company to be able to upgrade the facade. "We could paint it, wash it, sandblast it and they are more than willing to work with the city on that," Carrion said. The bridge itself is under CSX's purview, while the roadway and sidewalk fall to the city to maintain, Carrion said. As for the West 21st Street underpass, inspections reportedly showed some spalling and exposed rebar on concrete pillars that will require maintenance work in the near future, but did not affect the bridge's structural integrity. Replacing the railings at the West 21st Street overpass will be part of rehab work along state Route 611, he said. A portion at the East 28th Street underpass damaged by a car crash several years ago will also be replaced by the city using Ohio Department of Transportation-approved materials, as both are a state route, he said. After Thursday's tour with CSX, Carrion spoke with officials from Republic Steel, he said. Republic plans to demolish another building on its property, Carrion said, and address some of the tall grass and other maintenance code issues there. It is undergoing a load study with FirstEnergy to determine the energy capacity on the site for redevelopment, he said. Last spring, city and county officials citied Republic Steel for myriad code violations on the mostly vacant property that takes up a swath of East 28th Street. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com