Update on the U.S. 51 Ohio River Bridge

CARBONDALE, Unwell. (KFVS) – The semi that blocked the Ohio River bridge at Cairo for hours lastly makes it to the opposite facet. The bridge was closed simply after 9 a.m. and reopened after 1 p.m.

This comes whereas the Kentucky Transportation Cupboard (KYTC) is working to exchange the greater than 80-year-old construction.

This mornings wreck highlights the lengthy standing want for a brand new bridge to hold drivers from Wickliffe, Kentucky into Alexander County.

The semi overturned at that very sharp flip you need to take to get onto the bridge from the Kentucky facet.

It took crews greater than 4 hours to clear the scene and get site visitors shifting once more.

A spokesman with KYTC says they’ve had a number of crashes through the years at that sharp curve on the Wickliffe facet of the bridge.

However, KYTC’s Keith Todd says it’s been fairly a while since a semi wreck just like the one this morning shut down the span for a number of hours.

Todd says the cupboard continues repairing the U.S. 51 bridge to maintain it open to site visitors, as work continues towards constructing its substitute.

He tells me the brand new bridge will probably be almost two miles lengthy and be constructed about 980 ft upstream.

I requested him the place they’re at proper now within the planning course of.

“There’s loads of work happening proper now to assist us decide what sort of bridge would work finest there. A number of that has to do with the hydrological research. Additionally some seismic research which might be ongoing,” stated Todd.

Todd tells me additionally they have to consider flooding points the place the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers come collectively.

As for the brand new bridge, he says anticipate it to look an entire lot completely different than the present one with wider lanes and shoulders to accommodate a lot bigger autos, together with most farm gear.

“So, there are loads of shifting components right here however issues are step by step shifting alongside. And we’d hope to have it prepared for development to start out possibly in 2025 or 2026. Someplace in that point vary to start out development that will then take three to 4 years to finish,” stated Todd.

Keith Todd says the pandemic did gradual them down a bit, particularly in getting enter from the general public.

KYTC seems to be to host a public assembly later this fall to replace everybody on the huge undertaking.

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