County engineer underwhelmed by limited information in federal train bridge reports

HAMILTON, Ohio (WKRC) - For years, Butler County Engineer Greg Wilkens has required his bridge inspectors to do reports not only on road and highway bridges but also on the train bridges that dot the entire area.

Those reports are public record and very detailed. But he's never seen what the train companies that own the bridges and the federal government are required to release – until Wednesday.

"Generally, that's all it is, the condition of the bridge isn't expected,” Wilkens said while reviewing the report for Local 12. “We know there's a bridge there, that's about the extent of it. They don't note there's a crack in the abutment. We know there's a crack in the abutment."

Those detailed county inspections show parts of at least six train bridges that are in poor or even critical condition. The office of United States Sen. Sherrod Brown, (D)-Ohio, obtained the federal reports, but couldn't get them directly. He was forced to go through Wilkens' office to get the request filled, a process that took nearly six months.

Railroads, specifically Norfolk Southern, which owns four of the bridges, say it's working closely with Wilkens and other local officials. But Wilkens said that hasn't happened. He said that he wants railroads to succeed and wants a better relationship with them, especially given the fact that they help take freight off the roadways he maintains.

In the meantime, Butler County inspectors are conducting yet another round of reviews on the county's train bridges starting this week.

"It's all about public safety. I think it's the essence of this,” Wilkens said. “That's what we're here to do. That's our jobs. And they've got a responsibility for the public to make sure they're in safe condition. Is it?"

The Federal Railroad Administration told Local 12 that the agency is only following what Congress passed in 2016 when releasing the limited information. So, any changes to what can be made public needs to come from Congress, something Wilkens strongly advocates.

Brown, who pushed for these federal records, isn't ready to commit to trying to change existing laws as he's trying to get his new railway safety bill passed.

U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, (R)-Ohio, is also a co-sponsor of that bill. He told Local 12 he's looking into possible new legislation for more transparency. And U.S. Rep. Warren Davidson, (R)-Ohio, who represents Butler County, also previously told Local 12 he wants to do something. But his office said he was not available.