Belle Isle Bridge Goes Back Under Construction Today

Round two of construction on the Belle Isle Bridge begins today and this morning, drivers are advised to stay off the bridge.

After the morning rush hour, a three and a half month rehabilitation project will get underway, making the morning commute a lot worse for the 100,000 drivers who cross the bridge daily.

Crews will be working on a $3.8 million maintenance project, applying protective coating and replacing joints. The work should help keep anything like sand, salt, and water from penetrating the asphalt and doing further damage.

Lanes between Penn and Western will be narrowed to two lanes in each direction during the day and to one lane each direction nightly from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Speeds will drop to 40 mph in the construction zone.

The project will last until late June and is expected to cause some traffic congestion.

During the construction, off-ramps to Classen, Western, and Penn may occasionally be closed as well, although not all at the same time. In the meantime, ODOT asks drivers to find alternative routes.