LOUISVILLE, Ky. — While the Sherman Minton Bridge has reopened, the 95-year-old Clark Memorial Bridge, otherwise known as the Second Street Bridge, will prepare to restrict traffic down to south bound lanes for emergency repairs on March 20.
"Between this one and the one in New Albany, I think it's just 'wow, when do we get a break on the bridge,'" Marshall Pence said.
He uses the bridge nearly everyday since he lives in Louisville and has businesses in southern Indiana.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) officials said the repairs are expected to take weeks, not months, and could be completed by mid-April.
Just in time for Thunder Over Louisville.
"I think it's stable, it's just seems, you know, mentally you keep replaying that accident, which was horrendous," Pence said.
The bridge was damaged earlier this month after a crash ended with a semi-truck dangling over the downtown bridge and a daring rescue by a Louisville firefighter.
"It's the sidewalk, concrete work and some steel members on the side there," Matt Bullock, the chief district engineer at KYTC, said.
The Second Street Bridge will temporarily shutdown as KYTC crews apply new striping to south bound only lanes.
This means traffic will only be available to drivers heading from Indiana to downtown Louisville.
KYTC said detours can be made on the now open Sherman Minton, plus the Kennedy and Lincoln bridges.
"Even if they can use the Belle of Louisville to ferry people back and forth across like they do in upstate that would be nice," Pence said, laughing.
Drivers like Naviyah Porter have no choice but to pay toll fees since she works in Louisville.
"It kind of put's a bud in it because you know traffic is going to be hectic," she said.
Porter knows the repairs will be worth it in the end. But she just has one request.
"Hopefully they make the rails even bigger, I mean more safe for people and the drivers you know," she said.
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