Officials seek public input on new Cairo bridge project

Although construction isn’t expected to start for another five to 10 years, highway officials in Illinois and Kentucky want the public’s opinion now about a proposed bridge over the Ohio River between Cairo, Illinois, and Wickliffe, Kentucky.

The new bridge would replace an 82-year-old span commonly referred to as the “Cairo Bridge,” which carries U.S. highways 51, 60 and 62 between Illinois and Kentucky.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Illinois Department of Transportation will accept “virtual” comments online about the project from 8 a.m. Oct. 16 through 5 p.m. Oct. 30. Anyone interested in commenting or learning more about the project may go to www.US51Bridge.com.

Normally, highway authorities would hold “in-person” meetings to gather public comments, but that isn’t possible due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“Public meetings like we’ve had in the past are simply not possible at this time, so we are moving the updated information we have to share online,” said Chris Kuntz, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet project manager.

“We’ve developed displays similar to what we would share at a meeting and made them available through the project website,” he explained. “Interested citizens will have a 15-day window to review the displays as well as offer input and comments through a survey at the end.”

The existing bridge was opened in 1938 and is described by highway officials as being in “fair” condition with narrow lanes and shoulders. A new bridge, they say, will improve cross-river mobility by addressing functional limitations of the existing bridge and approach spans.

The bridge carries about 7,000 vehicles per day between Kentucky and Illinois and is a major connection between Cape Girardeau and Paducah, Kentucky. About 35% of the vehicles are commercial trucks.

Currently, the bridge is undergoing deck and joint work that limits it to one-lane traffic with an 8-foot, 6-inch width limit. The work is scheduled for completion around Oct. 25.

Kuntz said a final decision on the new bridge project will be made in collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Input from the general public and other stakeholders will also be part of the decision-making process, he said.

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