Cincinnati was stunned last week when video footage captured a fierce fire blazing underneath the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, also known regionally as the Big Mac Bridge. This incident has put a spotlight on the presence of potentially dangerous materials near vital infrastructure. Notably, the Federal Highway Administration previously issued an advisory alerting states to monitor storage of flammable or hazardous materials under bridges. This came as a response to a recent bridge fire on the Santa Monica Freeway. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) indicated its ongoing efforts to address these concerns, though it's unclear if the 1,000 Hands Playground beneath the bridge was ever assessed for fire risk.
"We've consistently monitored for obviously flammable items," explained ODOT spokesman Matt Bruning. "In our evaluations, we identified things like semi-trailers, construction debris, and trash left by unhoused individuals beneath certain spans." Surprisingly, playgrounds weren't flagged. "Our focus was on stored materials, not playgrounds," Bruning added.
In the early hours of Friday, November 1st, an inferno erupted at the 1,000 Hands Playground located in Sawyer Point Park, causing significant damage to part of the bridge. The fire’s origins remain under investigative scrutiny. The ramifications of this disaster are significant, prompting Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to declare a state of emergency owing to hazardous conditions and extensive damage. Fortunately, there were no injuries or toxic substances released, but the entire southbound section connecting Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky is indefinitely closed. Additionally, one northbound lane is shut during ongoing repairs. ODOT has announced that the design phase for shoring towers aimed at stabilizing the bridge is nearing completion, and repairs are set to commence shortly.
Engineering expert Casey Jones predicts that the restoration of the bridge might span two months, highlighting the lead-time required for essential steel components. "ODOT is not only replacing damaged girders but will also renew the deck and sign trusses," noted Jones. The underlying question remains whether the playground itself shared some culpability as combustible material. "Playgrounds often consist of wood, plastic, or synthetic components like rubber cushioning – all of which can burn intensely," observed Jones. Bruning confirmed that ODOT’s inspections prioritize detecting materials that seem conspicuously flammable.
Google Maps imagery from March 2022 depicted the I-10 overpass in California as a makeshift warehouse laden with items like pallets and cardboard, illustrating the type of materials the Federal Highway Administration advised against in its November 2023 memo. Cincinnati Parks’ representative Rocky Merz mentioned that the ill-fated playground was constructed with composite wood and rubber surface layers. A new playground, likely at a different site, is months away as planning proceeds.
Adding context, Cincinnati Parks had warned residents about incidences of unauthorized fires in various locations. While social media posts about fires at Ault Park and Winton Woods surfaced, Merz distanced these from the Sawyer Point fire, emphasizing common occurrences of unapproved fires in park areas. The guidance from the Federal Highway Administration on the appropriateness of bridges as playground locations remains ambiguous, although it stated that any facilities using combustible materials should ideally not be located under or near bridges unless they ensure safe infrastructure operation.
