New traffic pattern to be in place by Sunday morning
COVINGTON, Ky. – If you’re driving northbound across the Brent Spence Bridge this weekend, expect a nightmare.
As crews head into the final stretch of a large-scale maintenance project leading up to its anticipated Nov. 15 completion, a new traffic pattern will be put into place beginning at 10 p.m. Friday. The process will require lane reductions, access blocked temporarily to both Interstates 75 and 71 (at different times), and rolling roadblocks, according to Kentucky highway officials.
By 6 a.m. Sunday, the new pattern should be in place, depending on the weather.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials said in a release that the work – which actually is happening a week earlier than expected – will cause significant delays. The work is also expected to cause drivers to leave the interstate and clog local streets.
For the last month, the middle two northbound lanes have been closed, with the outer lanes open (the left going to I-75 north and the right going to I-71 north). Come Sunday, only the two left-hand lanes will be open.
Details of the weekend work:
- At 10 p.m. Friday, travel on I-71/75 northbound will be reduced to one lane and access to I-75 north will be closed until Saturday morning.
- Sometime Saturday morning, access to I-75 northbound will reopen and access to I-71 northbound will close until about noon Saturday.
- Rolling roadblocks (with 15-minute “holds” on traffic) will be used overnight Friday.
- About 10 p.m. Saturday, travel on I-71/75 north will again be reduced to one lane for final adjustments, with both lanes opening around 6 a.m. Sunday.
No changes are planned for southbound lanes on the bridge, where the two right or westernmost lanes are open and the two left or easternmost lanes remain closed.
Highway officials said the ongoing painting and maintenance project is more than 70 percent finished. They also stress that inspection crews continue to deem the bridge sturdy and safe.
The Fourth Street entrance onto the bridge northbound in Covington has been closed during the project, although the entrance ramp from Pike Street has remained open.
# # #