I-24 Ohio River Bridge construction to cause major trucking delays

Crossing the Ohio River on Interstate 24 will soon risk congestion slowdowns.

Illinois is restricting the I-24 Ohio River Bridge in early March for construction. The work will squeeze traffic for the mile-long span to one lane in each direction for several months at a time over the next three years.

The I-24 Paducah Bridge, crossing the Ohio River to connect Paducah, Kentucky, and Metropolis, Illinois, is a critical stretch of interstate and one of the few truck-accessible crossings between the two states.

The construction restrictions could cause periodic traffic delays on the I-24 bridge for the rest of the construction season, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

“When construction projects occur, lanes are often narrowed or closed to accommodate work, leading to a decrease in the available roadway capacity,” Ben Wills, construction engineer for IDOT District 9, told FleetOwner. “As a result, trucks may experience delays as traffic becomes more congested in the reduced space.”

Illinois plans to end this year’s construction around October 14. The state will implement lane restrictions again for the following two construction seasons before finishing the entire project around September 2027.

Congestion, delays likely

Traffic on and around the bridge will be slowed by the construction.

What is the construction doing?

The IDOT work will rehabilitate the I-24 bridge, extending its service life by roughly 15 years, according to engineering firm TWM.

Crews will install a new deck overlay, replace expansion joints, repair structural steel, paint the bridge, and resurface pavement. Illinois values the project cost at about $32 million.

The rehabilitation is part of Rebuild Illinois, a $33.2 billion initiative to improve its surface transportation infrastructure throughout the decade.

Drivers can expect delays, particularly during peak traffic hours, Wills said. IDOT will use a smart work zone system, including message boards, to alert drivers of real-time traffic conditions.

“Delay times will vary and can happen at any time. It is common to have heavier traffic around holidays and weekends, as many people are traveling to visit family or take vacations,” Wills said. “Additionally, during the summer months, there tends to be a higher Average Daily Traffic (ADT) due to an influx of vacationers heading south. These factors combined can result in significant delays, especially during peak travel times when the roads are more crowded.”

Illinois and Kentucky officials recommend motorists consider alternative routes to avoid the area. State officials also encourage drivers to use a zipper merge near the work zone to minimize queue lengths.

“Research shows this technique is the best way to keep traffic moving safely and more efficiently on heavily traveled routes,” Kyle Poat, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 1 chief district engineer, explained.

Nearest detour for trucks

The nearest bridge is unavailable for large commercial vehicles. The U.S. 45 Brookport Bridge crossing the Ohio River has weight, height, and width restrictions, prohibiting heavy trucks. The Brookport Bridge bars vehicles over 15 tons, 8 ft. wide, or 9 ft. 6 in. tall.

“Semis are not allowed on the Brookport Bridge, and this restriction will be enforced by law enforcement to ensure safety and prevent damage to the bridge,” Wills said. “As a result, truck drivers must use an alternate route. The nearest detour route for semis is approximately 86 miles long. Drivers are encouraged to use state routes to find the most suitable detour for their destination.”

Instead, truck drivers’ closest alternative bridge is the U.S. 51 Ohio River Bridge at Cairo, Illinois, in the west—about 36 miles away on Kentucky’s side or 58 miles away through Illinois.

For live updates, Illinois hosts up-to-date construction and traffic details at GettingAroundIllinois.com, and Kentucky provides traffic advisory emails for key routes through this Gov Deliver signup page.