The reopening of the Owensboro Bridge (often referred to as the Glover Cary or blue bridge) on U.S. 231 has been reset to Jan. 16, 2026, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said Tuesday. The cabinet stated that the contractor notified officials that additional time is required to complete sufficient work to reopen the span to traffic safely.
Construction crews are working extended hours to replace a 750-foot section of concrete-filled steel bridge decking and to make other repairs, including the replacement of a large portion of decking on the Indiana approach, according to the cabinet.
KYTC said the bridge had been scheduled to reopen earlier this month, but delays tied to steel fabrication and material orders prompted the revised timeline. The cabinet said all materials have now been ordered, delivered or sourced, and that some work will continue after the bridge reopens.
KYTC said the extended closure allows crews to complete long-term concrete maintenance and steel joint repairs aimed at preserving the bridge’s structural integrity and keeping it safe for the Ohio River crossing between northwest Kentucky and southern Indiana. Cabinet engineers will continue working with the contractor to look for ways to accelerate progress, the agency said.
The cabinet said the nearly $18 million project began in mid-July and is intended as a long-term investment in the bridge. American Contracting & Services is replacing a span of steel grid bridge decking and repairing a second span of the same length, KYTC said. Because the decking covers the bridge’s full width, lane-by-lane repairs are not possible, and a full closure is required during construction, according to the cabinet. Additional deck work is underway on the Indiana approach, the agency said.
Liquidated damages of $15,000 per day, including weekends, are being assessed for failure to reopen the bridge by the Oct. 1 contractual deadline and will continue until traffic resumes, KYTC said. The cabinet said another $4,000 per day in damages will begin if the project is not fully completed by the Nov. 15 contractual date.
About 7,200 vehicles use the crossing daily, and the structure opened to traffic in 1940, according to the cabinet. During the closure, KYTC said drivers should detour to the nearby U.S. 231 William H. Natcher Bridge.
For District 2 traffic advisories, KYTC directs drivers to sign up for email alerts through its public notification system.
