Work begins on green span after Labor Day holiday

ASHLAND — After Labor Day, drivers going into Ashland, Kentucky, will be rerouted onto the 13th Street Bridge for two months as part of a $1 million preventive maintenance project to extend the life of the span of the 12th Street bridge.

“While we understand the concerns this will create, it’s vitally important that work is done to keep the bridge in service for the 14,000 vehicles a day that use it,” said Chief District Engineer Bart Bryant of Kentucky Department of Highways District 9.

He said the project would provide new connecting joints, a new driving surface and other repairs to ensure its longevity.

“And, it’s our goal to get that work done safely and quickly as possible,” Bryant said.

Closing the bridge is the safest option for both motorists and contractors — the structure is too narrow to work in one lane while traffic is flowing in the other lane — and it shortens the repair time. The bridge is scheduled to reopen on Nov. 15.

The last time the two-lane green bridge, officially named the Ben Williamson Memorial Bridge, was refurbished was in the 1980s.

Recently, engineers analyzed the bridge’s concrete pavement using ground penetrating radar and other methods, and determined that new deck joints and a concrete overlay is necessary to prevent future deterioration of the roadway and safeguard the bridge’s ability to handle its traffic load.

“We understand that this project will impact downtown Ashland,” Bryant said. “And our challenge is to maintain the life of this important river crossing and perform the work with the least traffic disruption possible.”

In June, the Transportation Cabinet awarded a $988,948 contract to Delong Concrete LLC of Lexington for the work. Contractors expect to start construction and close the 12th Street bridge after Labor Day.

Kentucky highway engineers will work with contractors to reconfigure the adjacent 13th Street bridge to accommodate two-way traffic during construction, and will work with Ohio DOT and the City of Ashland to adjust traffic patterns and traffic signals on both sides of the river to enhance traffic flow as much as possible.