Westbound lanes near Ashland bridge to be closed intermittently for hillside clearing

COAL GROVE — U.S. Route 52 in Lawrence County will be subject to lane restrictions and intermittent periods of closure this week as officials from the Ohio Department of Transportation work to begin an emergency stabilization project.

ODOT is expediting a Type A Emergency contract to clear rock from the hillside and ledge along the westbound side of U.S. 52 near the Ashland, Ky., twin bridges at Coal Grove.

Currently, contractors are scheduled to mobilize their crews to begin work Wednesday.

“An investigation of the area late last week found that there are several rocks that are loose and may become dislodged,” said ODOT District 9 Deputy Director Vaughn E. Wilson. “As such, our geo-technical and construction engineers have been working to expedite this project so that we may alleviate any potential hazards.”

Beginning at approximately 9 a.m. Wednesday, U.S. 52 will be reduced to one lane in the westbound direction between Township Road 268 and County Road 1 (Old U.S. 52), east of Coal Grove, while crews from Janod Contractors work to remove rock from the hillside and ledge.

In addition to the single-lane restriction on U.S. 52 West, all four lanes of the route will be subject to intermittent periods of short-term closure when the contractors are blasting or pushing rock from the hillside. These temporary closures are anticipated to last between 10 and 15 minutes, and during such time traffic will be stopped and maintained by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Although there will be no signed detour, motorists are advised to seek alternate routes in order to avoid delay, traveling via the 12th/13th Street twin bridges at Ashland, Ky., and the 17th Street (U.S. 52) bridge at Huntington, W. Va.

Throughout the project, the eastbound lanes of the route will remain open except when blasting operations are under way. And currently, it is expected that the lane restrictions will be in place through the end of the business day Friday.