The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has announced the reopening schedule that will restore full travel across the northbound (lower) deck of the Brent Spence Bridge, as well as the entrance ramp that provides access to the northbound travel lanes on the bridge.
“In March, when we began this routine maintenance project to clean and paint the Brent Spence Bridge, we committed to the public that we would work methodically and efficiently to complete our work and restore the full movement of travel as quickly as possible,” said Bob Yeager, Chief District Engineer of KYTC’s District 6 office. “It feels really good to know that we met that commitment – even finishing this important work a little early.”
Yeager added that some minor detail work will continue under the bridge over the next several days but will not impact traffic.
“We have a few minor touch-up items to complete, but we didn’t want that to stop us from getting the northbound deck back open,” he said.
“As soon as it was safe and practical to do so, we gave our team the green light to reopen all lanes of travel, as well as the northbound access ramp in Covington.”
Yeager also reminded drivers that while crews are working to restore northbound traffic to its original configuration, significant delays are expected and drivers should seek an alternate route, when possible.
KYTC released the following weather-dependent schedule for the reopening of northbound travel:
• NOW – weather permitting:
Removal of barrier wall
Travel has been reduced to a single lane on I-71/75 northbound across the bridge. The two right lanes of travel will reopen by 8 a.m., Saturday morning.
• Saturday, Nov. 6 – Sunday, Nov. 7, weather permitting:
Restriping and installation of pavement tattoos
Beginning at 10 p.m., travel will be reduced to a single lane on I-71/75 northbound across the bridge. In addition, rolling roadblocks will be put into place. Law enforcement officers will be in place just south of the bridge on I-71/75 northbound and will hold traffic in 15-minute increments. Travel delays are likely, and drivers should use an alternate route, if possible.
• By 6 a.m., Sunday morning, all northbound traffic will be restored to its original configuration.
• All four lanes of travel will be OPEN on the northbound deck of the Brent Spence Bridge,
• The on-ramp to I-71/75 northbound from Fourth St. in Covington will be OPEN.
Following the full reopening of all lanes of travel, only short-term temporary nightly closures will be put into place to allow crews to complete final maintenance tasks:
Sunday, Nov. 7 – Monday, Nov .8, weather permitting:
Installation of overhead signage and pavement tattoos
Beginning at 10 p.m., travel will be reduced to a single lane on I-71/75 northbound across the bridge.
In addition, the on-ramp to I-71/75 northbound from Fourth St. in Covington will be CLOSED.
All four lanes of travel, as well as the on-ramp to I-71/75 northbound will reopen to traffic by 4 a.m., Monday morning.
The project
More than 35,000 gallons of paint were used to cover more than 1.5 million square feet of surface area for the maintenance project. The bridge was painted gray in accordance with KYTC Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction.
In addition to cleaning and painting, crews completed other routine maintenance tasks, including drainage work, signage repairs, and replacing interstate emblems on the roadway surface.
Information regarding planned traffic pattern changes is provided on the project website – BrentSpenceBridgeInfo.org – as well as project social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter.
In addition, drivers can consult various travel advisory services, including WAZE and OHGO, and should pay particular attention to the digital signage around the region, which monitors traffic information and provides travel times to various destinations.
