Bridge work means big detour from Missouri to Kentucky

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Truck traffic will have to take the long way around to travel from Southeast Missouri to Kentucky this summer.

At a yet-to-be determined date sometime after June 24, commercial trucks and other large vehicles will not be allowed to cross the U.S. 60/62 Ohio River Bridge from Cairo, Ill., to Wickliffe, Ky., until sometime in September because of bridge work.

"This project involves repairs on bridge deck stringers and replacement of seven joints on the bridge decking," Keith Todd, a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spokesman, said in a recent news release from the Missouri Department of Transportation. "This work will exclude trucks and other large vehicles such as motor homes from the bridge for about 70 days."

There will be one-lane traffic with a strict 7-foot load width across the bridge so commuters between Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky can travel to and from work.

For those vehicles not permitted to go through the work zone, however, the six-mile drive from Cairo to Wickliffe becomes an 80-mile trip to cross the Interstate 24 Ohio River Bridge at Paducah, Ky.

"I think there are going to be some serious effects for our farmers if they are farming those bottoms over there in Kentucky," said Carlin Bennett, presiding commissioner of Mississippi County.

As an 80-mile drive for a combine tractor really isn't feasible, Bennett said, the Dorena-Hickman Ferry will become an even more important transportation asset for farmers.

"The only reasonable way is the ferry for farm equipment," he said, adding there may be a silver lining for the county's Port Authority: "I'm happy this will probably increase revenue for our ferry."

As the original project schedule would have created issues for area farmers attempting to haul spring wheat harvest to grain facilities, transportation officials did bump the project start date back two weeks.

Cabinet officials understand the detour will be a major inconvenience for vehicles not allowed to go through the work zone, Todd said in the release, but the maintenance and repair work is needed to keep the crossing reliable.

"We want to give our industries and area farmers who regularly cross the bridge as much advance notice as possible so that they can plan and make logistical adjustments for the coming traffic restriction," Todd said. "As the schedule firms up, we will provide a specific start date for the project. This will impact tour bus traffic, people pulling boats, and any number of other vehicles that will not be allowed through this work zone."

"I think it will have a serious effect on boating since boats and trailers are not going to be allowed," Bennett said, "but the general traffic of people just going to Paducah to shop will be fine."

The contractor for the bridge repairs is fabricating steel for the project. Once this preliminary work nears completion, a more specific start date for the work zone restriction on the bridge will be announced, according to Todd.

Cabinet engineers are hoping to see the weather cooperate and the project completed sooner than the 70 working days scheduled.

Bennett said the county commission would still like to see a bridge from Mississippi County to Kentucky built.

Pertinent address:

Cairo, Ill.

Wickliffe, Ky.