The John A. Roebling Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic "until further notice" after softball-sized chunks of rock fell from one of the bridge’s towers.

The rock slipped away from the bridge’s north tower and dropped 80 feet to the ground below, with some pieces ending up in the roadway and some along the bridge's pedestrian walkway.

The walkway on the east side of the bridge, where the rock fell, will also be closed. The walkway on the west side will remain open.

No one was injured by the rock, but officials are closing the bridge as a precaution.

“Public safety is first and foremost on this,” said Nancy Wood, a spokeswoman for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. “There were some sizable chunks that fell approximately 80 feet onto the pavement.”

Wood said it will take about two weeks for the cabinet to come up with a temporary repair plan, but there is no timetable yet for when the bridge might be reopened.

It's likely the bridge's age and historic status will make the repairs more extensive than might be the case for a different bridge.

Drivers can use the Clay Wade Bailey and Taylor Southgate bridges as detours. The Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky is rerouting Southbank Shuttle buses and warning riders to expect delays.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience with this,” Wood said. “Just add a little longer to your commute.”

The Roebling bridge opened in 1867, spanning the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Covington. It's an iconic part of the city's skyline, and it carries more than 8,000 vehicles a day.

Kentucky did an analysis of the bridge this past summer, and there were already plans in place for a restoration project that was slated to begin in the spring of 2020. Issues with the sandstone were part of that project and, in fact, officials had even removed some pieces of rock that seemed at-risk of falling, Wood said.

That analysis could help speed up this more immediate repair, she said.

“We kind of know where the trouble spots are," she said.

More:Don't worry, folks, the Roebling Suspension Bridge isn't falling down.

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This past year, the Roebling was closed for a little more than a month after a car crashed into one of the primary columns, causing structural damage.

After the crash, The Enquirer reviewed 10 years of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet inspection records for the bridge with the help of Jim Swanson, an associate professor of structural engineering at the University of Cincinnati.

Swanson, who specializes in bridges, said he didn’t see anything alarming in the reports. There are things that should be fixed, he said, but he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary for a bridge of the Roebling's age.

Covington City Manager David Johnston said in a news release on Wednesday that he appreciates the caution in closing the bridge but is hopeful it can be repaired and re-opened quickly.

Last year, businesses near the river in Covington said they felt the impact of the closure, Johnston said.