CLEVELAND — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is renewing his call for Norfolk Southern to fix the aging Lake Avenue Bridge in Cleveland following further complaints from residents and community leaders.
“Despite an initial cleanup by Norfolk Southern, neighborhood residents have reported to my office that mud still streams down the walls and onto the sidewalk, dirty water drips from above, and pieces of concrete continue to fall onto the roadway,” wrote Brown in a letter to Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw.
In addition, Brown says that Cleveland City Councilwoman Jenny Spencer, who represents the impacted area, has been ignored by Norfolk Southern in her attempts to meet with officials regarding the bridge.
“I have now been informed that despite Cleveland Councilperson Jenny Spencer’s repeated attempts to engage your company, no meeting has been scheduled by your team. The bridge’s condition remains unacceptable, and you have not resolved the community concerns since I first brought them to your attention and called on you to fix them. This is not acceptable,” wrote Brown.
3News reached out to Norfolk Southern following Brown's latest letter and received the following statement:
"We take seriously our commitment to the safety of our operations and our infrastructure, including our bridges. All Norfolk Southern bridges are maintained according to federal regulations and are subject to regular structural inspection. Since May, our teams have completed preventative repairs and mitigation work on the Lake Avenue Bridge, cleaned up the sidewalk below and met with the city’s engineering and building departments. We are in close communication with Councilperson Spencer and have tentative plans to meet in the coming month to discuss how we can continue to work together on this matter."
You can read Brown's entire letter to Shaw below:
The Lake Avenue Bridge was built in 1912 at the entrance into Edgewater Park. It was declared an official "Cleveland Landmark" in 2021. Over the last three years, an organization called "Friends of Lake Avenue Bridge" has also been advocating for the historic structure to be repaired.
Back in May, Brown wrote to Shaw demanding that the company fix the Lake Avenue Bridge, one of the company's 20 railroad properties in Cleveland. Brown's demands came amid concerns from residents about chunks of concrete and cast iron falling onto the road and sidewalk as trains pass overhead.
"There is no defensible excuse for failing to fix this bridge," Brown told Shaw at the time. "Norfolk Southern must make swift improvements and prevent further damage and potential injuries.”
In response to Brown's demand, Shaw said a week later that an inspection last year showed that the Lake Avenue Bridge "is structurally sound."
"Nonetheless, I will review the results of this assessment, and we are committed to making any repairs necessary to ensure the bridge remains safe and in compliance with applicable regulations. We will also endeavor to implement aesthetic improvements alongside any repairs," Shaw added.
In addition, Shaw told Brown that Norfolk Southern had already deployed personnel who are using power washers and a vacuum truck to remove any mud, water, and debris from underneath the bridge. He stated that the company will work with the city to investigate the damaged lighting underneath the bridge. "Finally, we are inspecting the bridge to confirm proper boarding has been installed to ensure that foot and vehicle traffic is protected from loose debris," Shaw concluded.
But that wasn't enough for Brown.
“Norfolk Southern is still refusing to make a full commitment to fixing this bridge," he told 3News in a statement. "Cleanup isn’t enough – we need a specific timeline for repairs, and it shouldn’t take media reports or letters to the CEO to get it done. I will continue to hold Norfolk Southern accountable and press for swift improvements that will prevent further damage and potential injuries in the future.”
WKYC later spoke to Spencer, who has been vocal about the issues with the bridge in Ward 15 for years. She tells us Norfolk Southern plans to meet in January to discuss solutions.
"The wish list is, unfortunately, very long," Spencer said. "What we want is an answer to the mud and debris than continues to run off of the side of the embankment wall onto the sidewalk surface. ... There are still chunks of concrete falling down."