The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet advises motorists current eastbound and westbound lane restrictions on the I-24 Tennessee River Bridge at mile marker 30 will remain in place next week and that holiday travelers should consider alternate routes.
While the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet aims to lift work zone lane restrictions during holiday travel periods, maintaining the one lane restriction is necessary after unexpected construction delays during the installation of new joints on the bridge.
The eastbound and westbound lanes of I-24 in Kentucky are restricted to one lane with a 12 ft. maximum load width restriction. This lane restriction between I-24 Exit 27 and Exit 31 means significant traffic delays are likely during peak driving periods throughout Thanksgiving week.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is suggesting cross-country travelers consider an extended alternate route to avoid delays in this work zone. A trip from Calvert City to Cadiz, KY, along I-24 covers 41 miles with about a 38 minute travel time. A self-detour along the extended alternate route via I-69 South and US 68 East between Calvert City and Cadiz covers 48 miles and takes about 56 minutes.
While the suggested alternate adds about 18 minutes of travel time, it may help motorists avoid delays of an hour or more when holiday traffic is heaviest.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet advises motorists to consider the following alternate routes:
I-24 EASTBOUND Alternate Routes
US 62 Eastbound to KY 453 Northbound at Exit 27
- Take a self-detour between the I-24/US 62 Calvert City Exit 27 Interchange along US 62 eastbound to KY 453 northbound to the I-24/KY 453 Grand Rivers Exit 31 interchange. During peak travel periods. This 2-lane Alternate Route “A” may be congested.
I-69 Southbound to US 68 Eastbound at I-24 Exit 25
- At the I-24/I-69 Exit 25 interchange, take I-69 southbound to the US 68 Draffenville Exit 47 interchange, then follow US 68 eastbound to rejoin I-24 at the Cadiz Exit 65 Interchange. This is Alternate Route “B” on the attached map with 18 minutes of additional travel time.
I-24 WESTBOUND Alternate Routes
US 68 Eastbound Exit 65 to I-69 Northbound
- Take the US 68 Cadiz Exit 65 interchange, follow US 68 West to the I-69/US 68 Draffenville Exit 47 interchange, then travel I-69 North to rejoin I-24 at the I-24/I-69 Exit 25 Interchange near Calvert City. This is Alternate Route “B” on the attached map with 18 minutes of additional travel time.
KY 453 Southbound to US 62 Westbound at Exit 31
- Take a self-detour between the I-24/KY 453 Grand Rivers Exit 31 Interchange and the I-24/US 62 Calvert City Exit 27 Interchange. During peak travel periods this 2-lane Alternate Route “A” becomes congested.
Message boards along I-24 eastbound at the Kentucky-Illinois State Line and westbound at the Kentucky-Tennessee State Line will be used to alert drivers to this work zone backup and the likelihood of significant delays.
American Contracting & Services of Jeffersonville, IN, is the prime contractor on this $1.1 million bridge joint replacement project.
Motorists and commercial drivers are advised to use goky.ky.gov or the WAZE App for real-time traffic activity.
Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of KYTC Highway District 1 are available at www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1.