New US 51 - Cairo Bridge

[edwaleni]

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.

Interesting. They probably live on Washington Ave. It has some of the most beautiful homes from the late 1800's to early 1900's, but just 3 blocks away are some of the most derelict, weed infested homes I have ever seen surrounded by tons of empty lots. it's definitely a town of extremes.

[seicer]

Final Report for U.S. 60 Connectivity Study Recommends Advancing U.S. 51 Bridge Replacement Project

Cost, environmental impacts, public feedback inform decision not to advance new corridor project

PADUCAH Ky. (June 13, 2024) – As part of Team Kentucky's commitment to provide safe, environmentally sound and fiscally responsible roadways, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has released the final U.S. 60 Connectivity Study report that recommends advancing the U.S. 51 Bridge Replacement project, which has widespread support, a lower cost and fewer environmental impacts than the U.S. 60 corridor project.

The U.S. 60 Connectivity Study was a more than yearlong, comprehensive evaluation that examined the feasibility of constructing a new U.S. 60 corridor and Ohio River bridge crossing between Barlow, Kentucky, and Interstate Highway 57 near Future City, Illinois. The study's goal was to determine if the new U.S. 60 corridor and a relocated river crossing would offer more long-term value to the commonwealth and the traveling public than the proposed U.S. 51 Bridge Replacement project at Cairo, Illinois.

"We know that the existing U.S. 51 bridge is nearing the end of its useful life, and we want to find the best solution to construct a new Ohio River crossing for the region," said Kyle Poat, Chief District Engineer, KYTC District 1. "This study was conducted as part of our duty to Kentuckians, to examine the potential benefits and impacts of a new route and crossing — and the findings are clear: The cost and environmental impacts of a new U.S. 60 corridor and crossing outweigh the benefits."

The U.S. 60 Connectivity Study launched in early 2023 and included thorough cost, environmental, socioeconomic and traffic analysis. Public involvement along with local, state and national resource agency coordination and input were also important components to the study that helped inform a final recommendation. Public meetings were held in LaCenter, Kentucky and Cairo, Illinois, to gather public feedback, followed by a monthlong comment period.

Most areas of analysis and feedback did not support advancing the project, including:

• Cost: It would cost an estimated $1.3 billion to construct the U.S. 60 Connectivity Study project versus $450 million to construct the U.S .51 Bridge Replacement project.
• Environmental impacts and timeline: The U.S. 60 Connectivity Study would impact a wide range of wetlands, endangered wildlife and protected public lands that would require the highest level of federally mandated environmental assessment, resulting in a rigorous, multiyear process. Meanwhile, the U.S. 51 Bridge Replacement has already received federal environmental approval and can be ready to proceed with construction upon completion of design work.
• Public feedback: Eighty-three percent of public responses opposed the U.S. 60 Connectivity Study project.

To view the executive summary and complete final report for the U.S. 60 Connectivity Study, visit https://us60connectivitystudy.com/

About the existing U.S. 51 Ohio River Bridge

The U.S. 51 Ohio River 'Cairo' Bridge serves as a north-south connector for U.S. 51 and an east-west transportation corridor for U.S. 60 and U.S. Highway 62. The bridge carries about 5,400 vehicles per day between Kentucky and Illinois. About 43% of the traffic is commercial trucks.

The existing Cairo Bridge crosses the Ohio River at navigation mile point 980.4 and carries U.S. 51, U.S. 60, and U.S. 62 traffic across the Ohio River. Opened to traffic in 1938, the Cairo Bridge is the longest bridge in Kentucky and the westernmost bridge over the Ohio River.

The existing bridge needs to be replaced because it is narrow, does not allow oversize or overweight loads, and does not accommodate pedestrians. Sight distance on the bridge is also inadequate, and a tight horizonal curve on the Kentucky approach does not meet current federal or state design standards. A new bridge would meet modern standards for traffic and would offer both roadway safety improvements and enhanced earthquake resistance as the structure lies in the New Madrid fault zone.

[edwaleni]

83% local opposition is a pretty high margin for not proceeding on the US 60 deal.

Now lets get the new bridge built!

[TheStranger]

I'm actually impressed that 83% of people would be in agreement!  I do wonder, was this because the US 51 bridge already is much further along towards actually happening, or because of some of the other factors mentioned in the study?  Was there ever any demand really for a US 60 bridge at all?

[ilpt4u]

I saw the story on the bridge led the 10pm news on WSIL-ABC 3 in Southern Illinois. It was on at a local establishment, but no audio. Knew I could come here and see the details 

[ilpt4u]

I'm actually impressed that 83% of people would be in agreement!  I do wonder, was this because the US 51 bridge already is much further along towards actually happening, or because of some of the other factors mentioned in the study?  Was there ever any demand really for a US 60 bridge at all?

From WPSD-NBC 6 Paducah's story, sound like lots of local opposition to moving the bridge upriver

https://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/u-s-60-connectivity-study-gives-communities-clarity-on-where-major-bridge-will-go/article_03084330-29e9-11ef-919e-8f909021b5a2.html

Interestingly, WSIL-ABC 3's piece on the bridge that lead the 10pm news tonight isn't on their website, that I found, anyway

It is a weird TV DMA/market, where 1 network is out of and focuses on Southern Illinois (WSIL ABC 3), one is out of and focuses on Western Kentucky (WPSD NBC 6) and 2 are out of and focus on Southeast Missouri (KBSI FOX 23 and KFVS CBS 12). All cover the whole DMA broadly, but focus their "Local" segments on their DMA subregion

[edwaleni]

I'm actually impressed that 83% of people would be in agreement!  I do wonder, was this because the US 51 bridge already is much further along towards actually happening, or because of some of the other factors mentioned in the study?  Was there ever any demand really for a US 60 bridge at all?

From WPSD-NBC 6 Paducah's story, sound like lots of local opposition to moving the bridge upriver

https://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/u-s-60-connectivity-study-gives-communities-clarity-on-where-major-bridge-will-go/article_03084330-29e9-11ef-919e-8f909021b5a2.html

Interestingly, WSIL-ABC 3's piece on the bridge that lead the 10pm news tonight isn't on their website, that I found, anyway

It is a weird TV DMA/market, where 1 network is out of and focuses on Southern Illinois (WSIL ABC 3), one is out of and focuses on Western Kentucky (WPSD NBC 6) and 2 are out of and focus on Southeast Missouri (KBSI FOX 23 and KFVS CBS 12). All cover the whole DMA broadly, but focus their "Local" segments on their DMA subregion

When I lived in southern Illinois, we could pick up Terre Haute, Evansville, St Louis, Cape Girardeau and the PBS stations from SIU-Carbondale.

So it was weird when I would see commercials for shops as far away as Tell City, Indiana in the east, Festus or Sikeston, Missouri in the west.

My neighbor had a ham radio tower and he put a high gain TV antenna on it and would raise it and rotate it and pick up even farther, Indianapolis, Champaign, Springfield and what seem to be a million PBS transponders. Of course this is all in the VHF/UHF analog NTSC days.

[hobsini2]

I'm actually impressed that 83% of people would be in agreement!  I do wonder, was this because the US 51 bridge already is much further along towards actually happening, or because of some of the other factors mentioned in the study?  Was there ever any demand really for a US 60 bridge at all?

From WPSD-NBC 6 Paducah's story, sound like lots of local opposition to moving the bridge upriver

https://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/u-s-60-connectivity-study-gives-communities-clarity-on-where-major-bridge-will-go/article_03084330-29e9-11ef-919e-8f909021b5a2.html

Interestingly, WSIL-ABC 3's piece on the bridge that lead the 10pm news tonight isn't on their website, that I found, anyway

It is a weird TV DMA/market, where 1 network is out of and focuses on Southern Illinois (WSIL ABC 3), one is out of and focuses on Western Kentucky (WPSD NBC 6) and 2 are out of and focus on Southeast Missouri (KBSI FOX 23 and KFVS CBS 12). All cover the whole DMA broadly, but focus their "Local" segments on their DMA subregion

When I lived in southern Illinois, we could pick up Terre Haute, Evansville, St Louis, Cape Girardeau and the PBS stations from SIU-Carbondale.

So it was weird when I would see commercials for shops as far away as Tell City, Indiana in the east, Festus or Sikeston, Missouri in the west.

My neighbor had a ham radio tower and he put a high gain TV antenna on it and would raise it and rotate it and pick up even farther, Indianapolis, Champaign, Springfield and what seem to be a million PBS transponders. Of course this is all in the VHF/UHF analog NTSC days.

It's funny how on a clear night, I can pickup an AM station out of Dallas and one out of Cleveland in Aurora. My Dad said that when we lived in Oshkosh, Wis, he could pickup a jazz station out of Winnipeg.

Sorry for the tangent.

[Lyon Wonder]

IMO, I think the replacement US 51 bridge will be cable stayed due to the wide width of the Ohio River.

Of course, there's the possibility they might decide on a tied-arch span similar to the upstream I-24 bridge even though I still think the new bridge will be cable-stayed.

Though the most interesting question is how many lanes of traffic will the new US 51 accommodate, 2 lanes or 4 lanes?

4 lanes would be the recommended ideal given that I doubt the US 60/62 Mississippi River bridge will be around much longer without replacement and most traffic on the new bridge would also be using the I-57 bridge.

[SEWIGuy]

Since US-51 is only two lanes north and south of the river, why would the bridge by anything more than that?

[hobsini2]

Since US-51 is only two lanes north and south of the river, why would the bridge by anything more than that?

US 51 north of Cairo up to I-57 is 4 lanes. It's 2 lanes with a 3rd lane for left turns through Cairo. It is not far fetched to have a 4 lane bridge there and US 60/62 being a 4 laned bridge in the future.

[SEWIGuy]

Since US-51 is only two lanes north and south of the river, why would the bridge by anything more than that?

US 51 north of Cairo up to I-57 is 4 lanes. It's 2 lanes with a 3rd lane for left turns through Cairo. It is not far fetched to have a 4 lane bridge there and US 60/62 being a 4 laned bridge in the future.

Ah. I misremembered from my one time through there.

Thanks.

[seicer]

Traffic counts don't justify four lanes through Cairo or in western Kentucky. The case could be made to "future-proof" the bridge, but it's already been there for many decades without congestion or noticeable gains in traffic. While US 60 is being widened to the east from Paducah, the La Center bypass will be two lanes on a four-lane right-of-way.

[hbelkins]

The primary major media market for that area of western Kentucky is -- believe it or not -- Nashville.

[wriddle082]

The primary major media market for that area of western Kentucky is -- believe it or not -- Nashville.

I figured it would be Bowling Green by now.  They now have affiliates for all four major networks (thanks to digital subchannels), and only get CW and MyTV from Nashville.  I think the only portion of SW Kentucky that the Nashville news stations report on is Hopkinsville, and maybe Cadiz, mostly due to close proximity to Clarksville, where I think at least one station has a news bureau.

[ilpt4u]

The primary major media market for that area of western Kentucky is -- believe it or not -- Nashville.

The Paducah KY-Cape Girardeau MO-Harrisburg/Carbondale IL DMA/media market does exist

While the SEMO and SoIL parts of the media market associate a bit more with St Louis to the north, at least Paducah and generally that area of Western Kentucky has influences from both STL and Nashville. But Paducah and the "Purchase" area of Western Kentucky is definitely in the aforementioned media market of Paducah-Cape Girardeau-Carbondale

[edwaleni]

Per IDOT:

The replacement bridge will be a 40-foot-wide bridge featuring 8-foot shoulders. This two-lane bridge will also support bicycle traffic.

The project team is currently evaluating new bridge types as part of design activities. The recommended bridge type will be shared with the public during a meeting expected to occur in May 2024.

Thursday, July 11, 5-8 p.m., CDT 

Presentation at 6 p.m., CDT

Cairo High School – 4201 Sycamore Street, Cairo, IL

Join us on Thursday, July 11, at Cairo High School for our next public meeting! At the meeting, we'll announce the selected bridge type, show renderings of the future bridge, and have a Right of Way showing for affected property owners. The meeting will include an Open House with display boards as well as a formal presentation at 6 p.m. Staff from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and members of the project team will be available to answer your questions about the project.

Perhaps someone who lives nearby and attend and post the results.

[ilpt4u]

If I'm not working late that day I could swing down to Cairo and check it out

[jnewkirk77]

IMO, I think the replacement US 51 bridge will be cable stayed due to the wide width of the Ohio River.

Of course, there's the possibility they might decide on a tied-arch span similar to the upstream I-24 bridge even though I still think the new bridge will be cable-stayed.

Though the most interesting question is how many lanes of traffic will the new US 51 accommodate, 2 lanes or 4 lanes?

4 lanes would be the recommended ideal given that I doubt the US 60/62 Mississippi River bridge will be around much longer without replacement and most traffic on the new bridge would also be using the I-57 bridge.

As I recall, the goal is to have two 12-foot travel lanes and two 8-foot shoulders, which will accommodate pedestrian/cyclist traffic as well as motor vehicles, as well as oversize loads that cannot use the current bridge.

[JREwing78]

Though the most interesting question is how many lanes of traffic will the new US 51 accommodate, 2 lanes or 4 lanes?

4 lanes would be the recommended ideal given that I doubt the US 60/62 Mississippi River bridge will be around much longer without replacement and most traffic on the new bridge would also be using the I-57 bridge.

As I recall, the goal is to have two 12-foot travel lanes and two 8-foot shoulders, which will accommodate pedestrian/cyclist traffic as well as motor vehicles, as well as oversize loads that cannot use the current bridge.

Until and unless they extend the 4-lane section of US 60 from Paducah farther westward, there's no reason to build a 4-lane bridge here. Full 12' lanes and 8' shoulders will already be a massive improvement over the 10' lanes without shoulders of the current bridge. If/when they need it, they can add a twin span.

The locals already vetoed the 4-lane Interstate-compatible option Kentucky's DOT was looking to deploy a few miles north. The DOT read the room and responded accordingly.

[edwaleni]

Though the most interesting question is how many lanes of traffic will the new US 51 accommodate, 2 lanes or 4 lanes?

4 lanes would be the recommended ideal given that I doubt the US 60/62 Mississippi River bridge will be around much longer without replacement and most traffic on the new bridge would also be using the I-57 bridge.

As I recall, the goal is to have two 12-foot travel lanes and two 8-foot shoulders, which will accommodate pedestrian/cyclist traffic as well as motor vehicles, as well as oversize loads that cannot use the current bridge.

Until and unless they extend the 4-lane section of US 60 from Paducah farther westward, there's no reason to build a 4-lane bridge here. Full 12' lanes and 8' shoulders will already be a massive improvement over the 10' lanes without shoulders of the current bridge. If/when they need it, they can add a twin span.

The locals already vetoed the 4-lane Interstate-compatible option Kentucky's DOT was looking to deploy a few miles north. The DOT read the room and responded accordingly.

The veto was driven more by the use of wetlands and driving traffic through towns not really interested in it. If they need a 4 laner, it will have to go south of Wickiffe. But, yes they read the room.

[seicer]

US 60 Connectivity Study

The US 60 Connectivity Study (KYTC Item Number 1-80250) was initiated by the Kentucky
Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to examine a more direct corridor between US 60 in western
Kentucky and I-57 in southern Illinois. The study area, shown in Figure ES-1, overlaps with
highly environmentally sensitive areas flanking the Ohio River.

Given the known environmental resources within the study area, this study was completed
as Planning and Environmental Linkages Study (PEL Study),1 which takes a collaborative and
integrated approach to the transportation decision-making process by considering potential
environmental benefits and impacts during the planning phase.

Conclusion:

The US 60 Connectivity Study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of constructing a new
US 60 corridor and Ohio River crossing between Barlow, Kentucky, and I-57 north of Cairo,
Illinois.

In addition to the cost comparisons and impacts cited in Table ES-2, the two projects show
stark timeline differences to satisfy Federal NEPA documentation. To advance a major
project in the US 60 Connectivity Study area, an EIS would likely be required, which involves
rigorous requirements (including enhanced public involvement required to navigate the
opposition cited by the public and local groups) and typically takes years to complete. In
contrast, the US 51 Bridge Replacement Project completed the NEPA requirements in 2022,
as well as all necessary federal, state, and local regulatory processes.

Along with the environmental regulatory hurdles, the US 60 Connectivity Study identified
potential disproportionately high and adverse effects to Environmental Justice populations
and received stated opposition for this project from several stakeholder groups including
the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
Resources (KDFWR), Kentucky Division of Water (KDOW), Western Kentucky Wildlife
Association, Ducks Unlimited, mayors from the Disadvantaged Communities of Wickliffe and
Cairo, Director of the Ballard County Chamber of Commerce, and 83 percent of the public
comments.

Given the myriad environmental challenges, opposition from IDOT, and the $1.3 billion
needed to construct a project within the US 60 study area, KYTC does not recommend
funding future phases of this project. Instead, Kentucky's FY 2024 – FY 2030 Enacted Highway
Plan includes additional funding for the advancement of the US 51 Bridge Replacement
Project (Item No. 1-1140).

[hbelkins]

Interesting that KYTC is the lead agency on the bridge, yet they're having the meeting at Cairo and not Wickliffe.

[edwaleni]

Interesting that KYTC is the lead agency on the bridge, yet they're having the meeting at Cairo and not Wickliffe.

Wickliffe doesn't have a public building large enough to accomodate. Unless you host it in one of the two churches in town. Wickliffe kids get bussed over to Ballard Memorial in LaCenter.

Cairo is right smack dab in the middle of all the local constituents.

KYDOT is the lead agency but I believe IDOT is providing 60%+ of funds.

[edwaleni]

Just a reminder for those who can go.

Thursday, July 11, 5-8 p.m., CDT

Presentation at 6 p.m., CDT

Cairo High School – 4201 Sycamore Street, Cairo, IL