Ohio River bridge closing prompts ramp widening

NEW ALBANY, Ind. — Construction work is being done to widen some highway ramps in southern Indiana to help improve traffic flow after the emergency closure of a bridge over the Ohio River between Indiana and Kentucky.

The Indiana Department of Transportation says the work will expand Interstate 265 ramps at I-64 and I-65 near New Albany, north of Louisville, Ky. The agency says the widening projects are starting on Tuesday and are expected to be completed this week.

Drivers have faced long delays after officials on Friday abruptly closed the 50-year-old Sherman Minton Bridge on I-64 when inspectors found cracks in the bridge’s steel. The shutdown has forced traffic to use bridges for I-65 and U.S. 31 between downtown Louisville to southern Indiana.