New US 51 - Cairo Bridge

[edwaleni]

Reportedly this new bridge is still in design phase. The preferred ROW was announced several years ago and there hasn't been a community meeting or email update since 2020.

https://us51bridge.com/project-overview

The KYDOT plan only carries money for this bridge until 2028 (as does IDOT), and per its inspection report, the current bridge is not supposed to go past 2029 in use......so I was curious of anyone knows what the hang up might be?

The only thing I can come up with is the staffing issues at IDOT that are delaying several projects in the hopper. The I-69 bridge at Evansville with INDOT seems to be moving at a faster clip.

[seicer]

I wonder if the US 60 Connectivity Study has anything to do with the lack of updates.

[edwaleni]

I would say "yes" just by reading the goal statement of the US 60 Study.

"The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's US 60 Connectivity Study (Item 1-80250) is a regional project to study an alternative route and potential new bridge crossing connecting Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois. This study is being conducted by KYTC to determine if a new corridor and river crossing would offer more long-term value to the Commonwealth and traveling public than the proposed US 51 Bridge Replacement (Item No. 1-1140) between Wickliffe, Ky., and Cairo, Il."

Thanks for sharing, I was unaware of this study.  I have always looked at Missouri for these kinds of research.

[edwaleni]

I guess not.

"Currently, KYTC and its US 51 Bridge Replacement project team are planning for design and land acquisition that would be needed to construct a new US 51 bridge at Cairo. The US 60 Connectivity Study will run in parallel to planning and design for the US 51 Bridge Replacement project. Once completed, KYTC will determine which project should be advanced to final design and construction."

[Revive 755]

I wonder if the US 60 Connectivity Study has anything to do with the lack of updates.

If they are going to study new corridors for better connectivity they should include a few alternatives with direct crossings to Missouri, with at least one south of Wickliffe.

[jnewkirk77]

I wonder if the US 60 Connectivity Study has anything to do with the lack of updates.

If they are going to study new corridors for better connectivity they should include a few alternatives with direct crossings to Missouri, with at least one south of Wickliffe.

I thought about that myself, but I don't think you'd really get much benefit if you routed it south of Wickliffe, especially considering you'd be crossing the BP-NM Floodway on the Missouri side.  Good luck getting the Corps of Engineers to go along with that.

I'm not even really sure the value aspect is there in the corridors they're actively looking at. The 2023 cost estimates of $1.2B-1.3B are more than triple that of the 51 bridge replacement, which I think comes in around $382.5 million.

[seicer]

The US 60 corridor would benefit from being tied into the new two-lane (four-lane ultimate) Kevil-La Center alignment. Traffic counts decline the further west of Paducah you travel (11,600 near Paducah, 4,800 west of Kevil, 3,000 north of Wickliffe) before increasing again north of Wickliffe (5,300) towards the Ohio River bridge. Of that, 27% of traffic is trucks.

KYTC has more recently reconstructed the pavement of US 51/US 60 north of Wickliffe. I wish it had provisions for guardrails and other safety improvements, but it's adequate for the traffic it has now.

[edwaleni]

US60 KYDOT Study Area



US51 Original Study Area



US51 Preferred ROW

[Rothman]

KYDOT planning to take over Illinois...

[edwaleni]

KYDOT planning to take over Illinois...

The problem with rational highway planning in this region is that Illinois is trying to keep the City of Cairo relevant.

They are still trying to get an intermodal center built there, but the local port authority spent all of the money on things they weren't supposed to, so the state stopped the money.

and I quote....

"Osman also said in that letter that the administration had become deeply concerned that more than half of the funds spent by the state up to that point had been used for "consulting, project and grant management, and development expertise services."

"In the future, state funds should be used for the engineering, site readiness, and environmental work necessary to complete the development of the port terminal," he wrote. "Minimal funds may be used for consultation services."

Illinois has replaced the local port authority director, so hopefully the nearly $4 million in new funds can be used properly.

[hobsini2]

If the existing things (train bridge, historical mounds and wildlife refuge) in the way were no issue (it is a big issue), I could see US 60 being tied into I-57 at Illinois 3 (Exit 1). The intersection of US 51, IL 3 and IL 37 would have to be redone if the bridge was made the priority route.

[brad2971]

KYDOT planning to take over Illinois...

The problem with rational highway planning in this region is that Illinois is trying to keep the City of Cairo relevant.

They are still trying to get an intermodal center built there, but the local port authority spent all of the money on things they weren't supposed to, so the state stopped the money.

and I quote....

"Osman also said in that letter that the administration had become deeply concerned that more than half of the funds spent by the state up to that point had been used for "consulting, project and grant management, and development expertise services."

"In the future, state funds should be used for the engineering, site readiness, and environmental work necessary to complete the development of the port terminal," he wrote. "Minimal funds may be used for consultation services."

Illinois has replaced the local port authority director, so hopefully the nearly $4 million in new funds can be used properly.

I say this as respectfully as possible. If the state of Illinois wanted to keep the city of Cairo relevant, it would work with the federal government in buying EVERYONE out in Cairo, tearing down every structure except the most historic ones (Magnolia Manor, the federal post office, some of the old churches, etc), and turning the city into a state or national historic park. Specifically, one that tells the incredibly nasty racial and social history of the city.

And frankly, considering the $382.5 million cost for the US 51 bridge replacement, and the $1.2 billion cost for a US60 corridor buildup, buying out Cairo may be more cost effective. When you look at Cairo's Wikipedia page, you realize that the median age of its citizens rose by 10.5 years from 2010-2020. That...takes some doing. In this case, it was from emptying out and destroying dilapidated public housing in the city, which took away a large chunk of the city's young people. When one starts doing that....

[Rothman]

Given the terminals still operating in Cairo, I find the idea of "buying it out" a bit far-fetched.

Not mentioning the old Customs House was also an interesting omission.

[triplemultiplex]

On the other hand, there are plenty of barge terminals along the rivers that are not right in towns already, so it's not like those facilities are dependent on there being a community right there.

As long as someone is willing to keep paying for upkeep of levees, might as well let "Cay-ro" die a natural death rather than ruffle feathers by having the government put it out of its misery.  Some future flood will do that for you if you wait long enough. 

[seicer]

If anyone is interested, I have a writeup and photo gallery of Cairo at my site, Abandoned: https://abandonedonline.net/location/cairo/

[hobsini2]

The first time I drove on US 51 in Cairo about 5 years ago was driving through one of the most depressing communities I have ever encountered. Like Gary, Indiana depressing. I was fortunate to find a decent BBQ place (Shemwell's BBQ). It was the only restaurant I remember seeing open.

[ilpt4u]

Cairo is positioned in a spot that should be a vibrant city. Right at the junction of the Mississippi and Ohio. Its history is troubled and there is barely a city left.

I don't live that far away but really isn't much reason to head down that way very often, unfortunately

As far as a new bridge, if Missouri and Illinois are not going to replace the Mississippi River bridge at the river confluence, the Ohio River bridge should probably be further north closer to the I-57/US 51/IL 3/IL 37 intersections, and tie more directly into the interstate for the interstate bridge to Missouri. That appears to be the US 60 corridor study referenced here

[edwaleni]

The first time I drove on US 51 in Cairo about 5 years ago was driving through one of the most depressing communities I have ever encountered. Like Gary, Indiana depressing. I was fortunate to find a decent BBQ place (Shemwell's BBQ). It was the only restaurant I remember seeing open.

Shemwell's is alive and well and still serving up some great BBQ.

However, Cairo has no grocery store. None.

People have to drive to Mounds (north) or cross the bridge to Wickliffe (south) or rely on the 2 food pantry services in town.

[Rothman]

I don't know.  Seems there are places that are more depressing than Cairo out there.  New Straitsville, OH, comes to mind.

[edwaleni]

Something very strange is going on in Cairo.

Even in the poorest towns, I can pull up real estate for sale, taxing information for that real estate, etc.

But in Cairo, there are only 2 houses for sale. There is no county tax information available. Just nice pictures. I found a few vacant agricultural lots for sale outside of town, but oddly, none of all the vacant lots in Cairo are for sale.(if I believe this)

If I was a developer, anticipating a new intermodal port/terminal to be built nearby (or a new bridge), I would want to know if there are any investment opportunities for housing, hotels, retail....even reconstruction of historic buildings that qualify for grants.

Just my humble opinion, but if this town wants to "turn it around" they need to make themselves and their information more accessible. Has the State of Illinois been buying up all the vacant land?

[davewiecking]

I thought FEMA was moving Cairo residents uphill to New City, but Wikipedia is silent on that topic.

[jnewkirk77]

The first time I drove on US 51 in Cairo about 5 years ago was driving through one of the most depressing communities I have ever encountered. Like Gary, Indiana depressing. I was fortunate to find a decent BBQ place (Shemwell's BBQ). It was the only restaurant I remember seeing open.

Shemwell's is alive and well and still serving up some great BBQ.

However, Cairo has no grocery store. None.

People have to drive to Mounds (north) or cross the bridge to Wickliffe (south) or rely on the 2 food pantry services in town.

There is actually a grocery store that opened about a year ago. It's called Rise Community Market and it is a co-op. https://risecommunitymarket.com/

I'm still hopeful that Cairo has some sort of future. There is a small, committed core of people who are trying. But the rot is so entrenched, it's hard to imagine the future extends out all that far.

[edwaleni]

https://www.propublica.org/article/hud-demolishes-public-housing-displaces-residents-cairo

It appears the USG, specifically HUD, is getting out of town. After buying out many of the shanty houses of the poor and putting them in a high rise, they just announced they are moving them all out 30 miles away and tearing the high rises down. The mayor was surprised by the decision.

Like I said, something don't seem right.

The former high school sits vacant. The former junior high with a fairly new gym added on is a community center. The grade school is brand new and the junior and high school kids are up in a new building north of town. So its clear the school district still functions, they keep building new buildings!

So if the State is trying to save the town, why does the opposite seem to be in effect?

[hobsini2]

I don't know.  Seems there are places that are more depressing than Cairo out there.  New Straitsville, OH, comes to mind.

Never been there so I would have to take your word for it.

[seicer]

I don't know.  Seems there are places that are more depressing than Cairo out there.  New Straitsville, OH, comes to mind.

While working at an event in Paducah, I got to have a long conversation with a Publix executive who works remotely. He moved his family from Florida to... Cairo because it was "quiet" and had "good schools" for his son. I hope it works out for his family but that's a huge cultural shock.