From the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways:

Two Week Closure on US 231 at US 62 Intersection In Beaver Dam for Rail Crossing Repairs Starting Monday
Crossing upgrade cooperative effort of railroad, city, and state

BEAVER DAM, Ky. (November 10, 2009) — US 231/South Main Street will be closed for about two weeks near the 10 mile marker in Beaver Dam starting Monday, November 16th. The closure, authorized by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), is to allow Paducah and Louisville Railroad to upgrade two rail crossings near the US 231 Intersection with US 62/First Street.

“We expect these rail crossings to be closed starting at about 6:30 a.m. Monday,” said KYTC Project Delivery and Preservation Engineer Wade Clements. “We will have a marked detour for passenger vehicles via side streets. There will be no marked detour for truck traffic which will have to detour via the West Kentucky Parkway and the Natcher Parkway to get around the closure.”

The crossing improvements were requested by the City of Beaver Dam and are a cooperative effort that includes the city, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and P&L Railroad. The KYTC Ohio County Highway Maintenance Crew will start some preliminary work at the site on Thursday when they saw cut the pavement to prepare for the rail crossing work. That work will require some lane restrictions.

“Our state crews will also be assisting with this project by providing asphalt to be used as a base for the new crossing. We will then be responsible for paving the crossing approaches and repainting the striping at the US 231/US 62 intersection when the work is complete,” Clements said.

Transportation officials say one of their requirements for participating in the rail crossing upgrade is that the work be completed before the start of Thanksgiving Holiday travel.

Motorists are advised to be aware of the planned closure and be prepared for delays and increased passenger vehicle traffic along the marked detour. Trucks will be required to negotiate an extended detour on their own.

“We recognize that this project will create a significant amount of inconvenience,” Clements said. “However, the best and quickest way to complete the work is to close US 231 to all traffic at the site. We appreciate the patience of the public during this important highway improvement project.”

The closure is at US 231 mile point 9.974 near the intersection with US 62 in Beaver Dam. This is on US 231/South Main Street/Rochester Road between US 62/First Street and Young Street.