The Oakley C. Collins Memorial Bridge, locally known as the Ironton-Russell Bridge, was recently awarded the American Segmental Bridge Institues's (ASBI) 2017 Bridge Award of Excellence in the category of Long Span and Cable-Stayed Bridges. Unlike the original bridge, which connected downtown Ironton with downtown Russell, the new structure connects downtown Ironton directly with US 23 and KY 244 within the city limits of Russell just south of downtown. The new structure took approximately four and one half years to build and was opened on November 23, 2016, providing a main route for trucking and transportation in Ohio.
The new 2,616-ft.-long bridge is comprised of a 900-ft. cable-stayed main span and two 370-ft. cable stayed side spans, two 326-ft. tall towers and two anchor piers on the river’s edge.
Notably, the 900-ft. main span is the longest concrete span ODOT has ever built. The existing bridge remained open during construction until the new bridge was completed. The innovative and first use of a precast stay anchor block system in the United States simplified stay cable anchorage placement, accelerated the construction schedule and simplified the form traveler systems by eliminating the need for a temporary stay anchor.
ASBI Jury members called the new bridge "An amazing technical and aesthetic achievement."