The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says that they have continued to get questions about the status of the KY 52 bridge crossing the Kentucky River in Estill County.
The bridge has been closed for repairs since mid-March, with traffic detoured via the KY 499 Joseph Proctor Memorial Bypass. Some misinformation has circulated recently stating that the bridge will remain closed until November. This is not true. Work on the bridge’s metal structure and piers has been ongoing. Several repairs have been made, and the bridge sports a fresh new coat of green paint. Today, work started on the bridge deck.
The old deck will be milled and a new concrete deck will be poured. This work is weather-dependent, but if Mother Nature cooperates, the bridge is expected to be back open to traffic by the end of this month. We continue to appreciate the patience of drivers in Estill and surrounding counties who use this bridge, and can assure them that the work that is being done to preserve this bridge will last for years to come.
This bridge was built in 1940, carries nearly 12,000 vehicles per day, and serves as a signature gateway into downtown Irvine. It was last painted in 1987, prior to the construction of the downstream KY 499 bridge, and the traffic tie-ups back then were very lengthy. The presence of the new bridge has alleviated most of those concerns.
