PADUCAH, Ky. (December 27, 2023) – A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) plans a long-term work zone on the Interstate 24 Tennessee River Bridge near the 29-mile marker starting Tuesday, January 2, 2024.
Initial work to restrict eastbound traffic will include the placement of a concrete barrier wall along the bridge deck, creating the potential for delays throughout the day on Tuesday.
The major bridge rehab project will require traffic restrictions in several phases through 2024 for joint replacement, cleaning, and painting of the steel arch, as well as other general bridge maintenance work.
The initial work zone lane restriction will be for eastbound traffic on I-24. All eastbound traffic will move to the left-hand or passing lane to allow joint work on the eastbound Tennessee River Bridge between U.S. 62 Calvert City Exit 27 and KY 453 Grand Rivers Exit 31.
Appropriate caution is required where equipment, flaggers, and maintenance personnel are along the roadway near traffic flow.
There will be additional work zone restrictions and traffic shifts in phases about every 20 days for the first three months of the bridge rehab project. The work zone will eventually include westbound traffic restrictions and traffic shifts with start dates to be announced as work progresses.
The work zone will include a 55-mile-per-hour speed limit with an enhanced enforcement presence and double fines. The work zone will feature interactive traffic monitoring with portable message boards to alert motorists when traffic backups develop automatically.
Local commuters are asked to consider a self-detour via U.S. 62 and KY 453 between Calvert City Exit 27 and Grand Rivers Exit 31 to avoid possible delays, particularly during peak travel periods.
While I-24 eastbound will initially be restricted to one-lane traffic, once the joint work is completed and overhead work platforms are set up for cleaning and painting of the steel arch, the bridge will be temporarily striped with 11 ft. lanes to allow two lanes of travel in each direction.
The contractor will work to ensure that four lanes of travel are open for the surge of traffic expected for the April 8 Total Solar Eclipse.
Please be alert for frequent updates on the traffic configuration as the work progresses.
Spartan Contracting is the prime contractor on this $16,353,000 bridge rehabilitation and maintenance project. The target completion date for all work is December 1, 2024.
The Interstate 24 Tennessee River Bridge consists of twin tied-arch suspension bridges at I-24 mile point 29.352 at the Marshall-Livingston County Line.
The 2,017 ft. bridge with a 534 ft. main span is also known as the Luther Draffen Bridge. The bridge opened to traffic in 1974. The twin structures carry approximately 30,000 vehicles across the Tennessee River on an average day.
The bridge is at Tennessee River navigation mile point 21.1, about a mile below Kentucky Dam.
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Navigate traffic at goky.ky.gov, at waze.com, or with the WAZE App.
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Media Contact: Keith Todd
270-898-2431 (office)
270-210-8009 (cell)
Keith.Todd@ky.gov