Will be closed Monday and Tuesday

Motorists heading from Ironton to Kentucky will need to carefully plot their route next week.

Annual inspections are set for the Oakley M. Collins Memorial Bridge, connecting the city with Russell, Kentucky, for Sept. 25-26.

The bridge will be closed that Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m., according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.

During periods of closure traffic will be detoured via U.S. 52 to the Ashland twin bridges to U.S. 23 in Kentucky.

Inspections are estimated to conclude on Tuesday evening.

While this may cause some aggravation for drivers, one traffic backup has been lessened in another route to and from Ironton, as the new roundabouts at the U.S. 52 interchange and State Route 93 opened to traffic on Monday.