News Release

 

Kentucky Department of Highways District 9

Contact: Allen Blair

606.845.2551 (office)

606.748.3716 (cell)

Allen.Blair@ky.gov​


Ashland 12th Street bridge work complete; reopening Sunday, ahead of schedule
Mid-day traffic switch planned; use caution

 

FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. (Nov. 2, 2018) – With the Transportation Cabinet's $1 million preventive maintenance project now complete, contractors plan to reopen Ashland's 12th Street bridge on Sunday – 12 days ahead of schedule.

The reopening had been planned for today, but was postponed because unfavorable humidity, weather and scheduling issues made it impossible to properly paint new traffic markings.

The 1930s-era steel bridge, officially named the Ben Williamson Memorial Bridge, carries traffic across the Ohio River from US 52 in Ohio to US 23 and US 60 in downtown Ashland. The bridge closed on Sept. 8 so contractors could install new deck joints and overlay the pavement with a new concrete surface to prevent deterioration of the roadway – a project designed to safeguard the bridge's future for the 14,000 vehicles a day that rely on it.

Since work began, all traffic to and from Ohio has been sharing the adjacent 13th Street bridge, which was converted to handle two-way traffic.

On Sunday morning, Nov. 4, subcontractors plan to paint lane markings and other safety striping along the 12th Street bridge's new pavement. Afterward, contractors will change traffic control and switch all Kentucky-bound traffic back to the 12th Street bridge. Then, the 13th Street bridge will be restriped to handle only one-way, Ohio-bound traffic again.

The traffic switch will take place around mid-day and will take several hours to complete. Motorists are advised to travel with caution and expect delays during the process.

In June, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet awarded a $988,948 contract to Delong Concrete LLC of Lexington to complete the preventive maintenance project by Nov. 15.

 

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