Western campus bridge closed for repairs

Stone bridge on Western campus undergoes repairs.

The stone bridge just south of Miami University’s Western Dining Commons will be closed until further notice for repairs.

The university hired a structural engineer to review all three Western campus stone bridges last year for structural integrity and to help budget for needed capital investments. The investigations revealed needed repairs but no imminent risks.

Multiple freeze/thaw cycles this winter have added additional stress to the structure and compromised the integrity of a few archways, said Vincent Cirrito, landscape architect. After a visual analysis of the structure at the end of last week, Miami decided to close the bridge to pedestrian traffic so it can be stabilized.

After that is complete the structural engineer will give a recommendation on whether to reopen the bridge or keep it closed until full restoration can take place. The bridge will be restored pending the approval of funding.

“The safety of students, staff and the public is our top priority,” said Cirrito. “We realize this bridge is an important pedestrian link through Western campus, so we will keep that in mind as decisions are made moving forward to reopen the bridge as soon as possible.”