BLAINE — The Ohio Department of Transportation announced Monday that the Blaine Hill bridge on U.S. 40 will close to all traffic due to safety concerns.

The department planned to close the bridge completely on Monday afternoon. The bridge, or viaduct, carries National Road up and down Blaine Hill, located between Belmont County Road 10 and County Road 214.

In addition to structural concerns about the bridge itself, ODOT officials said drivers choosing to ignore traffic restrictions there led to the need for a total closure. The bridge had been closed to westbound traffic with one eastbound lane remaining open. According to ODOT, though, some motorists were traveling west in that open eastbound lane.