The family of George V. Voinovich, government officials and ODOT Director Jerry Wray gathered to cut the ribbon and unveil the long-awaited I-90 eastbound George V. Voinovich Bridge on Saturday.
The pair of bridges that make up the George V. Voinovich Bridge replace the outdated, 1950's-era Innerbelt Bridge that currently extends nearly a mile along I-90. Officials say the replacement of the bridge was essential to moving commuters in and out of downtown Cleveland.
“Combined, the two bridges represent an investment of well over a half-billion dollars,” ODOT Director Jerry Wray said. “Since Gov. John Kasich took office, ODOT has invested more than $12 billion into Ohio’s transportation network.”
Officials tout the construction of the bridge as a model for sustainable construction methods. They say the project has employed up to 500 northeast Ohioans. It's the largest bridge replacement project in Ohio's history and the largest single project investment in the history of ODOT.
The $566,000,000 project used 77 million pounds of steel and stands about 115 feet above the ground on average. Both directions of the bridge are expected to open by late October, according to ODOT reports.
The bridges were dedicated to the late senator, governor and Cleveland Mayor. George Voinovich was born in Cleveland and died in July.
