PADUCAH — The U.S. 45 Ohio River "Brookport" bridge has reopened to traffic, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says. The bridge between Paducah and Brookport, Illinois, was closed since Monday evening due to ice on the bridge deck.
KYTC District 1 says, while it usually takes roughly one day with temperatures above freezing to thaw the bridge, this week's closure was extended because a large ice field developed on the approach to the bridge on the Kentucky side.
"Sleet that fell earlier in the week had partially melted and glazed over a football field sized section of the roadway," a KYTC news release explains. "It included a curve at the Kentucky end of the approach where the roadway is super-elevated. That made it especially difficult to maneuver salt trucks to treat the ice."
The district says its McCracken County highway maintenance crew spent a "considerable time" Thursday spreading salt and chipping away at ice affecting the bridge Thursday.
Now that the ice has been cleared from the bridge deck, the bridge is once again open to traffic.
A reminder: The Brookport Bridge has a 15-ton load limit, and it's restricted to vehicles no wider than 8 feet and no taller than 9 feet, 6 inches. That means most commercial trucks and all STAA commercial shipping trucks are not allowed on the bridge. Large recreational vehicles, farm equipment and permitted loads are also prohibited.
