Ohio River bridge between Cairo, Wickliffe reopens

WICKLIFFE, Ky. -- The Ohio River bridge on U.S. 51/60/62 between Wickliffe and Cairo, Ill., reopened Sunday morning, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet engineers said Sunday.

Maintenance personnel spent Saturday repairing the shoulder and were trying to remove about an inch of mud left behind by floodwaters.

At the height of the flood, more than two miles of the bridge approach on the Kentucky side of the Ohio were under up to 10 feet of river floodwaters. The edge of the road was eroded.

Police have been monitoring the bridge while it's been closed.

According a news release Sunday, highway maintenance personnel and engineers are continuing efforts to reopen U.S. 51 at the Ballard-Carlisle County line just south of Wickliffe. Floodwaters in that area dumped several inches of mud on the highway that will have to be removed before that section can reopen. Engineers are hopeful that section of U.S. 51 between the 0 and 2 mile marker in Ballard County can be back in service sometime Monday.