Owensboro’s downtown bridge will soon be illuminated by new lights, but before that happens, some serious infrastructure work needs to take place. According to city officials, the Glover Cary bridge will undergo a lane closure beginning March 18 as contractors work to remove the bridge’s current lights and install the necessary infrastructure for the new lighting system.
Assistant City Manager Lelan Hancock says contractors with Madisonville-based Groves Electrical Services are officially mobilized and onsite to perform these tasks.
The lane closure will last for several weeks beginning in mid-March. 400 feet will be closed off starting at 8 a.m., after most of the early-morning commuters have crossed the bridge. Work will continue on the bridge each day until dark, Hancock added.
An automated traffic light system will be placed on the bridge to ease traffic congestion and prevent flaggers from having to monitor traffic each day.
“Hopefully that will minimize the traffic delays,” Hancock said.
Hancock said most of the infrastructure work will take place at the base of the bridge as contractors work to bring feeds into the main panel and pave conduits and brackets necessary for the electrical system.
The new lights, which are similar to LED lights and have unique color-changing capabilities, have been ordered, but they won’t be installed until all of the infrastructure work has been completed. Hancock expects the city to receive the new bridge lights in two months.
