Kentucky transportation officials say that they’ll soon be reopening a bridge that has been closed for nearly a month for repairs.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) says that the U.S. 51 Ohio River “Cairo” Bridge is set to reopen on Wednesday, August 26 — five days ahead of schedule. The bridge is located about 5 miles north of Wickliffe.
The bridge will only be open to one-lane traffic and a 8 foot, 6 inch load width restriction will be strictly enforced, officials say. The one-lane traffic restriction is expected to remain in place until October 1, 2020.
The bridge has been closed since August 1 for maintenance work and has forced many drivers to detour more than 80 miles.
According to the KYTC, the U.S. 51 Ohio River “Cairo” Bridge carries 7,000 vehicles per day between Kentucky and Illinois. Nearly 35% of those vehicles are commercial vehicles.
“We appreciate the hardship our commuters and other travelers have endured. Drivers are going to need additional patience as the work continues. The bridge work zone will continue to be restricted to one lane, alternating flow, and loads no wider than 8 and a half feet,” KYTC District 1 Chief Engineer Kyle Poat said. “We will continue to have workers on the bridge deck in close proximity to traffic flow, so, it’s important to obey the work zone speed limit and use extra caution as work continues.”