The U.S. 45 Ohio River “Brookport” Bridge between Paducah, KY, and Brookport, IL, will close at 5:30 p.m., CST, today.
Based on precipitation and dropping temperatures, the metal decking on the bridge is expected to ice over about dark. To avoid waiting until the ice causes a crash, the Brookport Bridge will close promptly at 5:30 p.m.
The bridge will remain closed until temperatures rise sufficiently to melt ice on the decking. Based on the National Weather Service forecast, that is likely to be sometime during the day on Wednesday when the high is expected to reach 37 degrees.
Also known as the Brookport Bridge and the Irvin S. Cobb Bridge, the U.S. 45 Ohio River Bridge is at McCracken County mile point 12.882.
The 10-span bridge carries approximately 5,000 vehicles across the Ohio River each day between Paducah, KY, and Brookport, IL.
The 5,385 ft. structure at Ohio River navigation mile point 937.3 was opened to traffic in 1929.
Due to deck width, the bridge has a 15-ton load limit. It is currently restricted to vehicles no more than 8 feet wide and has a 9 ft. 6 in. vehicle height restriction, which prohibits most commercial trucks and prohibits all STAA Trucks. Large recreational vehicles, farm equipment and permitted loads of any kind are prohibited from crossing the structure.
Photo courtesy of Paducah Drone