TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Weight Limits Reduced on Clark Memorial Bridge in Louisville
Northbound bridge sidewalk to close; southbound sidewalk to remain open
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Dec. 3, 2024) – Following a recent routine inspection, reduced weight limits will be posted for vehicles crossing the George Rogers Clark Memorial (Second Street) Bridge over the Ohio River in downtown Louisville.
Inspectors have been monitoring age-related deterioration of steel beams and connections on the 95-year-old bridge. While the bridge remains safe for all travelers, the inspection and subsequent analysis found that the deterioration has progressed to the point where weight-limit restrictions are needed to better protect the structure from damage and ensure continued traffic safety.
Vehicle Traffic Impacts:
The Clark Memorial Bridge, which has been posted at the legal roadway limit for cars and commercial trucks, will be posted Tuesday for reduced weight limits. For example, the weight limit for a typical Type IV semi-truck (tractor trailer) will be reduced from 40 tons to 36 tons. There will be no change for Type I trucks, such as passenger cars, pickups, SUVs, vans, etc. Weight limits, defined by vehicle and axle types, include:
- Type I – 20 tons (no change)
- Type II – 25 tons (previously 27 tons)
- Type III – 29 tons (previously 34 tons)
- Type IV – 36 tons (previously 40 tons)
- 5 Axles – 31 tons (previously 40 tons)
- 6 Axles – 32 tons (previously 40 tons)
- 7+ Axles – 34 tons (previously 41 tons)
Vehicles exceeding the newly-posted weight limits are advised to use alternate routes, including the Sherman Minton Bridge (Interstate 64) or Abraham Lincoln/John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridges (Interstate 65) in downtown Louisville.
Pedestrian Traffic Impacts:
The recent inspection also identified further deterioration in the steel supporting the northbound sidewalk. To ensure the safety of all travelers, modifications to pedestrian sidewalks will be implemented in addition to the reduced weight limits.
The northbound sidewalk will close today, Dec. 3, at 10 a.m. (Intermittent lane closures in the northbound lanes (from Kentucky to Indiana) will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. today, Dec. 3, to facilitate the sidewalk closure.)
The southbound sidewalk, which was the one damaged in a March crash involving a semi-truck and repaired in April 2024, will remain open for pedestrian traffic. Pedestrians will be able to travel both directions on the southbound sidewalk, and are advised to utilize nearby crosswalks to cross U.S. 31.
While the bridge remains safe for vehicles and pedestrians, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet engineers are actively working on plans for necessary repairs to the bridge and sidewalk, and will continue to monitor the structure’s condition. Updates on the progress of repairs and any additional traffic impacts will be provided as information becomes available.
The Clark Memorial Bridge, also known as the Second Street Bridge, carries U.S. 31 over the Ohio River between Louisville, Ky., and Jeffersonville, Ind. It was built in 1929 and reconstructed in 1958 and supports an average of 24,000 vehicles per day, including passenger and commercial vehicles.
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