Floodwaters close river bridge connecting Kentucky, Illinois

WICKLIFFE, Ky. (AP) - Floodwaters will likely close an Ohio River bridge connecting Kentucky and Illinois for a week.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says in a release that the U.S. 51 Ohio River "Cairo" bridge will close at 6 p.m. Friday, due to safety concerns about the depth of water on the roadway and recurring issues with drift floating into travel lanes as water levels are expected to reach a crest of 55 feet (17 meters) Saturday.

The closure will create an 80-mile (130-kilometer) detour to get from Wickliffe, Kentucky, to Cairo, Illinois, a trip that's normally 8 miles (13 kilometers).

The release says approximately 4,700 vehicles cross the bridge in an average day, from local commuters to cross-country truckers.

The department estimates the bridge will be closed for at least a week, based on the river forecast.