3-hour detour to allow emergency crossover crash barrier repair
PADUCAH, Ky. (August 3, 2020) — A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans an estimated 3-hour detour for eastbound traffic along Interstate 24 in an extended work zone between the 52 and 65 mile marker in Kentucky on Tuesday afternoon, August 4, 2020.
Eastbound motorists on I-24 should be prepared to encounter a temporary detour starting sometime around 1 p.m., CDT, on Tuesday, near the 62 mile marker. This is along I-24 eastbound between the KY 139 Princeton/Cadiz Exit 56 Interchange and the U.S. 68 Cadiz Exit 65 Interchange.
There will be a marked detour for eastbound traffic along KY 139 South to U.S. 68 East through Cadiz to return to I-24 at the Cadiz Exit 65 interchange during this two hour closure.
This temporary detour is expected to be in place from approximately 1 p.m., CDT, to about 4 p.m., Tuesday, to allow a crash cushion to be replaced at an emergency crossover near the 62 mile marker. The crash cushion was damaged during a recent crash at this location.
Oversized loads will be directed to pull over and wait for the work to be completed as overweight and over-dimensional loads will not be allowed along the detour through Cadiz along KY 139 and U.S. 68. KY 276 is not an approved detour and will be open to local traffic only.
As a reminder for trucks, there is a strict 12 ft. maximum load width for eastbound I-24 in the work zone. There is a strict 15 ft. maximum load width for westbound traffic in the work zone.
Eastbound motorists should be alert for slowing and merging traffic as they approach the start of the work zone at the 52 mile marker on Tuesday afternoon. Motorists traveling KY 139 near the Exit 56 Interchange should be prepared to encounter traffic delays as flaggers will be controlling traffic to allow vehicles exiting I-24 to access KY 139.
Motorists who normally travel KY 139 and U.S. 68 through Cadiz should also be aware of increased traffic flow during the 2-hours this temporary detour is active.
To help reduce delays along the marked detour via KY 139, motorists from the Paducah area planning to travel I-24 East into Tennessee on Tuesday afternoon are advised to consider an alternate route via I-69 South and U.S. 68 East between Exit 25 at Calvert City and Exit 65 at Cadiz.
There should be minimal impact to westbound traffic along I-24 during this closure and temporary detour of eastbound traffic.
This extended work zone through parts of Lyon, Caldwell, and Trigg counties between the 52 and 65 mile marker includes two-way traffic running on the westbound lanes with a centerline barrier wall and a strictly-enforced 55 mile per hour speed limit with an enhanced enforcement presence. More than 22,000 vehicles travel this section of Interstate 24 in an average day. Motorists are asked to use both patience and caution in this work zone through the 2020 construction season.
Hall Contracting of Kentucky is the prime contractor on this $28,090,000 highway improvement project. The project includes major rehabilitation work along the eastbound lanes of I-24 from the 52 to 65-mile marker, as well as spot concrete repairs and bridge work from the 65 to 69 mile marker.
Once reconstruction of the eastbound driving surface is complete sometime after Labor Day, additional concrete pavement repairs are planned along westbound lanes. The target completion date for all work is November 30, 2020.
Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of KYTC Highway District 1 are available by going towww.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1. You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.
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