By ALLEN BLAIR - The Independent
ASHLAND — It will be green, as some might already have known or guessed — alongside blue, it’s one of Ashland’s official colors.
But, to get it painted that color, crews will close the city’s 12th Street bridge for nine months, the state says.
“The plan is to allow for a more efficient time frame,” said Mark Brown, spokesman for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
The Cabinet recently awarded North Star Painting Co. Inc. of Youngstown, Ohio, the $6.8 million contract to paint the Ben Williamson Memorial Bridge spanning the Ohio River — the one that carries traffic across the river from Ohio into Ashland.
Once the company does some preliminary work in late January, it’s expected to close the bridge Feb. 1 to ensure safe and efficient traffic flow.
Closure also will allow quicker painting, because the contractor will have more space with no traffic concerns, state engineers say. The $5 million painting of the 13th Street Simeon Willis Bridge that ended this fall took 15 months, although it included a winter break.
North Star, which also did that job, is expected to finish the 12th Street bridge painting by November when the bridge will at least be partially reopened to traffic, the state said.
The impending paint project, as well as the recently completed one, ensures protection of the bridge from rust and the elements.
And the color green will coordinate with the 13th Street bridge’s fresh coat of blue, the state said. Green and blue are Ashland’s official colors, which appear on city logos.
“This project will complement the many qualities that make Ashland such a special place and one of Kentucky’s important commercial centers,” said Transportation Cabinet Secretary Bill Nighbert in a statement this week.
The project includes power blasting and painting the 12th Street bridge’s 1,600-foot main span and approaches.
During the closure, all traffic will be detoured to the 13th Street bridge, which will temporarily be configured to accommodate four lanes of traffic — two lanes in each direction.
“Engineers feel like that is the optimum path at this time,” Brown said.
The plan puts the safety of the traveling public and construction workers at the highest priority, said highway Commissioner Marc Williams, “ensuring the most efficient use of time and resources.”
The contractor will begin installing rigging and other equipment in early January. Motorists should be alert for lane closures and possible delays while preliminary work is under way, the Cabinet said.
ALLEN BLAIR can be reached at ablair@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2657.
