LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — A bridge that has been part of the Lima-Allen County landscape for more than a century is one step closer to being replaced.
Built in 1923, the Metcalf Street Bridge was designed to carry the Dixie Highway over the expansive rail yard of the former Lima Locomotive Works. Due to its age, the bridge has undergone annual inspections, and its most recent rating of four out of nine placed it in poor condition.
At the request of the Allen County bridge engineer, the Allen County Commissioners have begun the process of replacing the structure by initiating a feasibility study.
"The first step is getting a feasibility study done so that we can apply for ODOT's local major bridge program," said Allen County Bridge Engineer Douglas Karhoff. "So we're going to be sending out a request for engineering services to multiple consultants to be able to pick a consultant that would come up with perhaps several different alternatives and provide cost estimates for each alternative."
The bridge is jointly maintained by Allen County and the city of Lima. The last major repairs to the structure were completed in the late 1980s.
The Metcalf Street Bridge is considered a rare historic structure, spanning 538 feet across 11 tracks in the Norfolk Southern rail yard. It is recognized for its unusual, heavily skewed polygonal Baltimore through-truss design.
Officials say the feasibility study is only the beginning of a lengthy process. It could take several years before a bridge replacement project moves forward.
