LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A local access bridge that connects Clarksville to New Albany will be closed this weekend for emergency repairs. 

Drivers will need to use an alternate route until repairs to the Blackiston Mill Road bridge are complete. The bridge over Silver Creek, which is owned and maintained by Floyd County, will be down to one lane on Friday, Jan. 27, and flaggers will be on site to direct traffic over the bridge.

Friday's closure will be followed by a more extensive closure beginning Tuesday, Jan. 31. That's when Floyd County officials say the bridge will be completely closed to traffic. The closure is expected to end by 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3. 

Blackiston Mill Road Bridge Hole

The hole in the Blackiston Mill Road bridge. (Photo via Clarksville Police Department)

Floyd County engineer Horachio Uritpa said the county has been looking into changing the support of the bridge for several years.

He said it looks like the front of the pier has blocks that have been “moved and eroded." Uritpa said a contractor will come next week to fix it, costing about $55,000.

The last time the bridge closed for emergency repairs was in November 2021, when a large hole formed in the concrete on the bridge. 

The Blackiston Mill bridge has been in use since the mid-60s, with an average of 4,500 vehicles crossing it each day. 

Copyright 2023 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.