8 a.m., to 11 a.m., closure for nav light maintenance

PADUCAH, Ky. (February 27, 2024) – The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) plans to close the U.S. 45 Ohio River “Brookport” Bridge for three hours on Thursday morning, February 29, 2024.

The U.S. 45 Ohio River “Brookport” Bridge will close promptly at 8 a.m., CST, on Thursday to allow an electrical crew to perform maintenance on navigation lights along the bridge structure.  Equipment placement to facilitate the work will require the bridge to be closed to all traffic.  The bridge is expected to reopen to traffic around 11 a.m., Thursday.

Motorists may self-detour via the Interstate 24 Ohio River Bridge.

KYTC District 1 will attempt to provide a timely update should the bridge reopen to traffic earlier than expected.

As a reminder, the bridge has a 15-ton load limit.  Due to the bridge deck width, iit is currently restricted to vehicles no more than 8 feet wide and has a 9 ft.-6 in. vehicle height restriction, which prohibits most commercial trucks and prohibits all SEMI/STAA Trucks.  Farm equipment and permitted loads of any kind are prohibited from crossing the structure.

Also known as the Brookport Bridge and the Irvin S. Cobb Bridge, the US 45 Ohio River Bridge is at McCracken County mile point 12.882.

The 10-span bridge carries approximately 6,000 vehicles across the Ohio River each day between Paducah, KY, and Brookport, IL.

The 5,385 ft. structure at Ohio River navigation mile point 937.3 was opened to traffic in 1929.