Wickliffe, Ky.–A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) plans a daytime work zone lane restriction on the U.S. 51 Ohio River “Cairo” Bridge on Wednesday, November 4, 2020.
The work zone lane restriction is to allow a continuation of repairs to navigation lights along the bridge structure. The work zone restriction along short sections of the bridge is expected to be in place from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., CST, on Wednesday.
Appropriate caution is required where equipment, flaggers, and maintenance personnel are along the roadway in close proximity to traffic flow. Due to the short length of the work zone, delays are expected to be minimal.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will attempt to provide timely notice if the work is completed earlier than expected.
The U.S. 51 Ohio River “Cairo” Bridge serves as a north-south connector for U.S. 51, as well as a critical east-west transportation corridor for U.S. 60 and U.S. 62. The bridge carries about 7,000 vehicles per day between Kentucky and Illinois. About 35 percent of that is commercial trucks.
The U.S. 51 Ohio River Bridge connects Kentucky and Illinois about 5 miles north of Wickliffe at Kentucky mile point 7.372. Also known as the Cairo Bridge, it immediately connects with the U.S. 60/U.S. 62 Mississippi River Bridge that carries traffic between Illinois and Missouri.
The U.S. 51 Ohio River “Cairo” Bridge opened to traffic on Nov. 11, 1938. The Cairo-Wickliffe Bridge is at Ohio River navigation mile point 980.4 near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.