Mahoning Avenue bridge damaged in crash that closed I-680 in Youngstown

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – A day after a crash on a highway in Youngstown, and the traffic headache on Interstate 680 continues.

Drivers still can’t get through a major part of I-680. The highway is shut down in both directions from State Route 711 to U.S. 62. The Mahoning Avenue bridge is also closed.

“We can’t open the road until it’s safe to do so,” Said ODOT Spokesperson Ray Marsch. “We don’t have any timeframe on when that is going to open back up.”

It’s all connected to a nasty crash that happened Monday afternoon.

Crews with the Ohio Department of Transportation have been working on the bridge, which was badly damaged in the crash involving a flatbed truck and an SUV.

A coil that came loose from the semi hit the bridge. ODOT engineers were there right after the accident to inspect the bridge and have been there ever since.

ODOT said crews will be working around the clock to fix the bridge’s pillar, but they don’t have an exact timeframe for when it will be fixed.

Shortly before noon Tuesday, they arrived with some barricades to put around the pillar. They’re taking measurements and making repair plans to get I-680 reopened soon.

“We are going to have a long-term repair here, essentially, over the next few months,” Marsch said.

Crews are also working on some other things along the closed portion of I-680, including paving over potholes and trimming trees, since there are no cars there right now. ODOT said this is a great way to take advantage of the opportunity so it doesn’t have to close a lane in the future.

This stretch of I-680 will likely be closed for the next couple of days. Traffic has been backed up in the area.

Other closures include: