Russell Viaduct Project

​Item No. 9-1073, Russell Viaduct (KY 244) Bridge Replacement

KY 244 AECOM project logoWork is now under way on a new KY 244 access route and "flyover" bridge into downtown Russell in Greenup County. Construction is the final phase of the project, for which planning began at least 10 years ago. Click to read the official NEWS RELEASE announcing the project in April 2020, see an artist's rendering here, or scroll down the page for background, frequently asked questions (FAQs) and more. Kentucky Department of Highways District 9 is excited to see this project reach its final stage, as it will provide a much-needed upgrade to state highway access into downtown Russell that ensures safe travel and supports economic development for decades to come.

Latest Project News & Updates

Expect traffic impacts for steel work on Russell viaduct project on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday each week: FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. (Jan. 15, 2021) – Motorists should expect increased traffic impacts approaching downtown Russell over the next month as contractors begin steel work on the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's KY 244 viaduct replacement project in Greenup County... On Tuesday, Jan. 19, steelworkers will begin offloading and placing girders on newly-built bridge piers adjacent to the existing KY 244 (Bellefonte Street) viaduct. The work will require flagged traffic or temporary traffic stops on KY 244 several times a day between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for the next four weeks. Contractors will coordinate daily traffic changes, and when necessary flaggers will be positioned on KY 244 in Russell and at the US 23/KY 244/Ironton-Russell bridge intersection to direct traffic. Because significant delays are possible on the heavily-traveled highways – as many as 20,000 vehicles a day use them – motorists are advised to seek alternate routes when possible into and out of downtown Russell during construction times.

Traffic changes continue for Russell viaduct replacement project: FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. (Aug. 21, 2020) – Motorists should watch for one-lane traffic each direction on US 23 at Russell, and other traffic changes, as work continues... READ MORE

Blasting schedules released for KY 244 hillside excavation: FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. (June 25, 2020) – Currently, contractors excavating a hillside for the new KY 244 flyover and bridge will blast late in the day – between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. on Friday, and Monday through Thursday next week from about 5:30 to 6 p.m. ... READ MORE

Traffic changes start May 4, 2020, for Russell viaduct replacement: ​
FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. (April 30, 2020) – Construction of the new KY 244 and replacement of the Russell viaduct in Greenup County will require a temporary closure on Kenwood Drive (KY 750) and other traffic changes ... READ MORE

Transformational Russell Viaduct Replacement Project Starts Spring 2020: FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. (April 22, 2020) – Construction of a new "flyover" bridge into downtown Russell will start this spring as the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet invests $20 million to replace an aged and deficient viaduct bridge ... READ MORE

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet working to replace Russell viaduct (KY 244) bridge: FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. (Nov. 23, 2016) – A Kentucky Transportation Cabinet project to replace the aging Russell viaduct (KY 244) bridge is on schedule ... READ MORE

Take a Video Tour Through the Project

This video starts with you hovering over downtown Russell where the new KY 244 flyover loop will touch down on Bellefonte Street where the existing viaduct does now. It then takes you on a tour of how the finished project will look, flying over it toward Ashland and back around to where KY 244 will connect with KY 750 (Kenwood Drive) and US 23. (Animation courtesy AECOM.)


Artist's Rendering - New KY 244 & Flyover Bridge

​Click image above to open a larger inage of the artist's rendering in a new tab or window. Image for informational purposes only, not to exact scale and does not necessarily depict actual landmarks or final traffic lane markings, etc. The highway running to the top right is US 23 toward Ashland, and bottom left is US 23 toward Flatwoods and Greenup. At bottom right is KY 750-Kenwood Drive. (Credit: AECOM engineering, the Transportation Cabinet's consulting engineers on the viaduct replacement project.)

Artist's rendering of new KY 244 viaduct crossing over US 23 into downtown Russell

Russell Viaduct Project Background

 

Map of KY 244 at Russell with new road alighnmentThe Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and engineering consultants URS Inc./AECOM have been working for about 10 years to redesign the 244 Russell viaduct access to downtown Russell, Ky. Project goals have included the replacement of the deteriorating railroad overpass bridge and improvement of traffic flow and connectivity near the KY 244 and US 23 intersection.

Following a public meeting in 2012, which unveiled alternatives for a new KY 244 bridge, highway planners used comments and several years of studies and engineering data to select one alternative that met the needs of the community and motorists.

That selected alternative includes a "flyover" loop north of the existing KY 244-US 23 intersection to link to a new bridge that curves around by the river and touches down where the existing bridge connects to Bellefonte Street in downtown Russell. The aerial photo above depicts this concept in general terms. Below is an artist's concept of the design. (Click image to open a full-size PDF file of the drawing, and see details.) Drawing of KY 244 new viaduct

Once complete, motorists would travel north or south on US 23, then turn west near the existing KY 750 interchange to access the flyover loop and bridge into downtown Russell.

This design not only replaces the old, deteriorating existing bridge but also improves area traffic flow by moving the KY 244 intersection south of its existing location at the congested Ironton-Russell bridge and US 23 intersection.

Since 2012, with a bridge replacement design in hand, highway officials have been working to secure the needed right of way and move utilities. Once that work was complete in 2019, work started on construction plans that would be advertised for bid. In March 2020, the Transportation Cabinet awarded a low-bid contract of $20,607,500 to Triton Construction Inc. and its subsidiaries to complete the project.

For Project Info

​KYTC District 9
Project Development Office
P.O. Box P.O. Box 347
822 Elizaville Ave, KY 41041
Phone: (606) 845-2551

Construction Issues

​KYTC District 9
Ashland Section Office
P.O. Box 1149
Ashland, KY 41105
Phone: (606) 920-2057

FAQs

​​Q: How much does the Russell viaduct replacement cost?

A: Once complete, the total project cost will be $24.3 million. That includes $1.94 million for design, $950,000 for right of way acquisition, $805,000 for utility relocation, and $20.6 million for construction.

Q: How long will it take to build the new KY 244 flyover loop?

A: The new KY 244 should be open in summer 2021, with final work following into 2022. By contract, Triton Construction has 315 working days to complete the project. That's about two years of construction seasons, although timing is flexible based on weather and other issues.

 

​This page is maintained by: Allen.Blair@ky.gov, who may be contacted to make corrections or changes.

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