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Hickman County Bridge Restricted

Highway Officials Ask for Cooperation With Weight and Speed Limit Restriction on Little Cypress Creek Bridge in Hickman County

 Continued disregard for restrictions

may force bridge to close

  CLINTON, Ky. — The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is asking motorists in Hickman County to obey the reduced the load limit and speed limit on KY 123 at the Little Cypress Creek Bridge in Hickman County.  The speed and weight restrictions are in place at mile point 0.392 in the Nichols community due to deterioration of the bridge structure.

 Variable message boards, new load limit signs, speed limit signs, and other traffic advisory signs went up at the site on October 17th.  District 1 Chief District Engineer Jim LeFevre noted that there have been several complaints about vehicles crossing the bridge that are failing to obey the speed and weight restrictions. 

"By restricting the speed and weight of traffic crossing the Cypress Creek Bridge we've managed to keep the bridge open to traffic," LeFevre said.  "If we continue to get reports of vehicles violating the weight limit and the speed limit on this structure we may be forced to close it.

 LeFevre said if the bridge has to be closed it would cause considerable inconvenience for motorists who regularly travel KY 123.

"Motorists should be aware of these limits and use appropriate caution in the area.  The load limit on the bridge is now 15 tons, which essentially limits it to loads only slightly larger than a loaded pick up truck," LeFevre said.

A section of the bridge dropped about five inches in October prompting the traffic restrictions.  In an effort to keep the bridge open asphalt was used to level the bridge approach. KYTC Engineers also placed an advisory 25 mph speed limit in the area.

By slowing traffic substantially and reducing the weight limit, highway engineers hoped to reduce vibrations that might cause additional damage to the bridge structure.  Engineers are still evaluating the extent of repairs needed to return the bridge to normal service.

 "We are evaluating this bridge and preparing a course of action for repairs at sometime in the future," LeFevre said.  "Meanwhile, to help us avoid closing the bridge we're asking for the public to fully cooperate by obeying both the load limit and the speed restriction.  That will allow us to keep it open to traffic.  If we keep getting reports of weight violations we may have to close the structure to all traffic."

The bridge over Little Cypress Creek is on KY 123 about 0.4 mi. west of the intersection with KY 307 in Hickman County.


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