RUSSELL, Ky.– Motorists should expect one-lane flagged traffic on Tuesday at the bridge intersection on U.S. 23 at Russell for continued overhead bridge work on the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s KY 244 viaduct replacement project.

Contractors are pouring concrete to build the driving surface of the new KY 244 overpass just north of the Ironton-Russell bridge intersection.

While working above U.S. 23 travel lanes, crews will shift traffic into one lane on U.S. 23 below with flaggers directing traffic to protect motorists. Traffic shifts will take place Tuesday on southbound and then northbound U.S. 23 from about 4 a.m. until noon.

Due to the volume of U.S. 23 traffic – as many as 20,000 vehicles a day use the highway there – significant backups are likely. To avoid delays, motorists should seek alternate routes.

The $20.6 million Russell viaduct replacement project includes building a new KY 244 looping westward from U.S. 23 to a new flyover bridge across U.S. 23 and the railroad tracks on the river side to touch down where the old viaduct bridge connects to Bellefonte Street in downtown Russell.

Construction will continue through this summer. To learn more, view flyover diagrams and get project updates, link to District 9’s “Russell Viaduct Project” at https://transportation.ky.gov/DistrictNine or bookmark the web page at https://transportation.ky.gov/DistrictNine/Pages/RussellViaduct.aspx.