Lane shifts to follow
PADUCAH, Ky. (Oct. 31, 2024) – A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is planning a traffic shift on the eastbound I-24 bridge over the Tennessee River on Friday night, which will result in both eastbound lanes being blocked for around four hours overnight.
Spartan Contracting is in the process of moving the primary focus of their ongoing rehab work from the right side of the bridge to the left side, necessitating movement of lane restricting barrier walls being used to protect workers and equipment from passing vehicles.
Beginning at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 1, the contractor will block the slow lane of eastbound I-24 at about the 29 to 29.5 mile points. This will allow time to remove existing lane striping without stopping traffic.
At around 10 p.m. both eastbound lanes will be blocked at Exit 27 and traffic will be directed along U.S. 62, where motorists can return to the interstate at either Exit 31 or Exit 40. During this blockage Spartan will move existing safety barriers from the right side of the bridge to the left side of the bridge.
Both lanes are expected to reopen at around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2.
There will be message boards on the interstate to inform motorists of changing road conditions as the project advances.
The Interstate 24 Tennessee River Bridge consists of twin tied-arch suspension bridges at I-24 mile point 29.352 at the Marshall-Livingston County Line.
The 2,017 ft. bridge with a 534 ft. main span is also known as the Luther Draffen Bridge. The bridge opened to traffic in 1974. The twin structures carry approximately 30,000 vehicles across the Tennessee River in an average day.
The bridge is at Tennessee River navigation mile point 21.1, about a mile below Kentucky Dam
