The US 51 Ohio River “Cairo” Bridge between Wickliffe, Kentucky, and Cairo, Illinois, is expected to remain open during the current round of flooding along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) engineers have been carefully monitoring the river forecast at Cairo. The Ohio River was at 50.5 at 12 Noon, today, on the Cairo gauge. The forecast issued this morning calls for it to rise slightly to about 51.7 ft. and hold near there for several days before starting a slow drop sometime this weekend.
That forecast puts floodwaters about 4 ft. below where they would cover US 51 near the 7 mile marker at the Kentucky end of the US 51 Ohio River Bridge. It also would indicate US 51 will remain open south of Wickliffe at the Ballard-Carlisle County Line through this flood event.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 1 spokesman Keith Todd noted that a flood levee breach near St. Louis was expected to siphon off enough floodwater to slightly suppress river levels downstream, making it even less likely floodwaters would cut the important transportation connection.
The river forecast takes into account rainfall expectations along the Ohio and Mississippi River watershed for the next 48 hours. Based on the latest numbers shared by the National Weather Service at Paducah, KYTC engineers are confident that the US 51 Ohio River “Cairo” Bridge, which also carries US 60 and US 62 traffic, will remain open.
Also known as The Cairo Bridge, the US 51/US 60/US 62 Wickliffe-Cairo Bridge carries approximately 4,700 vehicles across the Ohio River each day between Wickliffe, KY, and Cairo, IL. About 35% of that is truck traffic. The bridge immediately connects with the US 60/US 62 Mississippi River Bridge that carries east-west traffic into Missouri.
Todd noted that Mississippi River floodwaters have created some travel issues for both Missouri and Illinois, particularly in the St. Louis area. At this time the only major transportation disruption for Kentucky is the closure of the Dorena-Hickman Ferry, which is expected to remain closed until about May 19th. Todd advised travelers to check the Missouri Department of Transportation website and the Illinois Department of Transportation website to avoid potential flood issues in those neighboring states.
For information on traffic conditions and flooded roadways in Illinois go to https://www.gettingaroundillinois.com/.
For information on traffic conditions and flooded roadways in Missouri go to https://traveler.modot.org/map/.
For information on traffic conditions and flooded roadways in Tennessee go to https://smartway.tn.gov/traffic/.
For information on traffic conditions and flooded roadways in Kentucky go to goky.ky.gov.