Media Releases:

Traffic Advisory
-KYTC to adjust lane width on US 41 northbound bridge Traffic shift will require lane reduction Friday night April 18th

PDFs

Cross-Over Details - North
Cross-Over Details - South
Arial View Sheet 1
Arial View Sheet 2
Arial View Sheet 3
Arial View Sheet 4

Links:

Ellis Park

KYTC to MAINTAIN TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC DURING
WORK ON U.S. 41 TWIN BRIDGES AT HENDERSON

In March of 2007, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet started rehab project on the U.S. 41 Twin Bridges that cross the Ohio River between Henderson, KY, and Evansville, IN. The original plan called for one lane of traffic in each direction for 160 days in 2007 and 2008. Henderson and Evansville area businesses became concerned about the disruption of commerce between the two cities that had been experienced during previous work on the bridges in 1992.

HENDERSON, Ky. – Rehabilitation and painting work on the US 41 Twin Bridges between Henderson and Evansville, Ind., is to resume around March 17, 2008 with overnight lane closures to allow the contractor to start rigging work.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) engineers plan to convert the northbound bridge to three, 10-foot lanes with a strictly enforced 35 mph speed limit and double fines beginning sometime after March 24.

KYTC officials and police are calling on commuters to do their part as the $22 million project resumes.

“During the work last summer, the Transportation Cabinet had outstanding cooperation from all of the police and emergency agencies responsible for the bridges. We also had great cooperation from the driving public,” said KYTC Chief District Engineer Ted Merryman. “We’ll be asking drivers who regularly cross the bridges to again step up to help maintain safety for everyone by obeying a strict 35 mile per hour speed limit in the work zone.”

KYTC engineers and the contractor – M&J Painting Co., of Campbellsville, Ohio – maintained two lanes of traffic in each direction by putting three lanes of traffic on the southbound bridge. One lane of the northbound bridge remained open for traffic with the other lane closed for work on the structure. Construction Engineer Byron Johnson says the plan will be reversed this year with three lanes of traffic on the northbound bridge – two northbound lanes and one southbound.

“While there were a few early glitches last year, for the most part the 10-foot lanes with a strict 35 mile per hour speed limit worked well. We give our regular commuters a lot of credit for that. We maintained traffic flow and actually had a better safety record than we normally see with a 55 mile per hour speed limit on the bridges,” Johnson said.

Tow trucks and police stationed at the bridges during peak travel times were able to clear traffic crashes and quickly restore traffic flow on the busy Ohio River crossing. Police agencies also provided strict enforcement of the 35 mph work zone speed limit.

“We want to give commuters who regularly cross the Twin Bridges plenty of advance warning so they can get prepared for re-establishment of the work zone restrictions, 35 mile per hour speed limit and double fines,” Johnson said.

Railings on the deck of the northbound bridge are barriers designed to contain vehicles in a crash. Johnson said that differs from curbs and railings on the southbound bridge.

“Since the northbound bridge has barriers instead of curbs, we’ll have to adapt. Instead of reflective delineators to help mark outside lane boundaries, we’ll be using reflectors attached to the barriers. We’ll again be moving all northbound truck traffic to the middle lane,” Johnson said.

Transportation officials are working with area police and emergency agencies to maintain around the clock enforcement in the work zone. The March 17 target date for overnight lane restrictions on the southbound bridge and target date for starting three lanes of traffic on the northbound bridge are dependent on weather and subject to change.

The Twin Bridges, also known as the Bi-State Gold Star Vietnam War Memorial Bridges, carry approximately 39,000 vehicles a day across the Ohio River. The northbound bridge was opened to traffic in 1932. The southbound bridge was opened to traffic in 1965.