LORAIN, Ohio — Plans are in the works to try to make the 28th Street railroad bridge look better. Right now there's lots of rust, which has been an issue for years, but officials said it is structurally sound.
There’s been a renewed push to make sure it’s more aesthetically pleasing after a Lorain man posted a video on social media in April showing pieces of the bridge that appear to be deteriorating.
RELATED: What's going on with this 'rusted' railroad bridge in Lorain?
Following a June 12 visit to the bridge by CSX, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and leaders from the City of Lorain, News 5 has learned there is a plan to address certain issues.
Lorain Safety Service Director Rey Carrion told News 5’s Tiffany Tarpley that the city will be applying for a project through CSX to sandblast the bridge and perform other work to improve its appearance. If all goes well, that could happen in 2026.
Carrion said CSX has stressed that the bridge is safe and was built in the early 1900s to carry the load of a 1,000-ton steam engine, and nothing that size crosses the bridge now.
CSX responded to News 5’s request for comment after our previous story aired. It said, in part, that safety is the company’s highest responsibility:
“The company focuses first and foremost on maintaining the safety and structural integrity of the bridges on its network… while we understand concerns related to a bridge’s appearance, it is important to note aesthetics of a rail bridge rarely have anything to do with its structural integrity.”
Carrion also said the 21st Street railroad bridge is structurally sound. He said CSX will repair the concrete columns sometime this year.
