Highway headache: 3 long-term road projects start on I-24 next week

Beginning next week, drivers on I-24 in western Kentucky will have to contend with three major long-term road projects.

Of course the biggest is Phase 2 of the Ohio River bridge rehab that resumes on Monday. Lane restrictions will return, and eventually both eastbound lanes of the bridge will be closed. Two-way head-to-head traffic will be established in the westbound lanes. That work will be in place through October.

Meanwhile, a two-year long asphalt rehabilitation project will be in place by Wednesday involving about ten miles of interstate in Lyon and Caldwell counties.

The project will be between the KY 293 exit in Lyon County, and the KY 139 exit in Caldwell County. During the first phase, crews will work in Lyon County only, closer to Exit 45.

For about six weeks, drivers can expect single-lane traffic in each direction on I-24 over a five-mile section between mile points 45 and 50 while crews build a crossover.

In late April, traffic will be shifted onto the eastbound lanes in a head-to-head setup using the newly built crossover, while both westbound lanes are closed for resurfacing. A temporary barrier wall will separate the two directions of travel.

The entire project is expected to be completed by November of 2027.

Finally, a five-mile section of Interstate 24 in Christian County will be reduced to one lane in each direction next week between Oak Grove and the Tennessee line.

Once again, traffic from both eastbound and westbound lanes will be shifted to the eastbound side of the interstate, with temporary barrier walls separating opposing traffic.

That project is scheduled to be completed by mid-August.