CATLETTSBURG, Ky. — Westbound Interstate 64 has reopened in Boyd County, Ky., with “crossover” lanes routing all interstate traffic safely past a slide area near Catlettsburg, Kentucky transportation officials said Thursday.

Contractors and Kentucky Department of Highways crews have worked since Monday to build and pave the crossovers, which are essentially blacktopped links between the westbound and eastbound sides of the interstate.

Now that construction is complete, the detour previously in operation has ceased and two-way traffic has been established on one mile of eastbound I-64 at the 190 mile marker. Motorists should continue to drive with caution through the area.

The westbound side of the interstate was closed Monday morning when pavement began to buckle due to an adjacent embankment failure.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet had contractors working to stabilize the embankment before the slide area progressed into the roadway. However, the slide area became more unstable overnight Sunday, forcing the interstate’s closure to all traffic Monday morning.

Contractors will continue work to stabilize the slide – part of an overall $20.1 million project that includes repairs to two other embankments, general roadway and bridge work, and resurfacing eight miles of the highway from the Big Sandy River bridge to just east of Coalton.

Embankment repairs could take several months to complete. The crossovers, and two-way traffic on I-64 at the slide area, will remain during construction.