Traffic Advisory: Speed Reduction Work Taking Place on Ohio River ‘Cairo’ Bridge
Expect lane closures Monday, Oct. 7
PADUCAH, Ky. (Oct. 6, 2024) – For the safety of motorists crossing the Ohio River into Illinois, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will be making changes to reduce speeds on the Ohio River “Cairo” Bridge, which carries U.S. 51, U.S. 60 and U.S. 62 between Ballard County, Kentucky and Cairo, Illinois.
Beginning 7 a.m. Monday, Oct. 7, crews will place traffic lane markers along the bridge’s curbing to facilitate safe and efficient travel and post a 20 mph speed limit. Motorists should expect temporary, alternating lane closures for about 5 hours.
The work is necessary to safeguard the bridge and the traveling public until a repair project can be completed. These repairs should allow the speed limit and traffic calming measures to be lifted. Engineers hope to have repairs completed this winter.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is in the early stages of a project to replace the aging bridge, which opened on Nov. 11, 1939. As the project moves into the final design phase, plans call for the new river crossing to be constructed about 1,000 feet upstream from the existing bridge, with construction scheduled around 2028.
With about 6,600 vehicles crossing the bridge each day, addressing the declining condition of the 85-year-old structure remains a top priority of the cabinet.
The Cairo Bridge, located at mile point 7.372 of U.S. 51, is the westernmost bridge over the Ohio River and the longest bridge located in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
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