VINE GROVE, Ky. (WDRB) — Some Hardin County residents are forced to take a detour while a deteriorated bridge is being rebuilt.
The Otter Creek Road Bridge in Vine Grove shut down Monday afternoon after the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet determined the bridge required more than routine repairs and must be completely rebuilt.
Derrek Whipkey, who lives about 100 feet from the bridge, said he supports the decision despite the inconvenience.
"Nobody wants their truck, car or whatever to go into the creek," Whipkey said.
Whipkey said he had seen inspection photos of the bridge and understood why officials closed it.
"I saw some of the inspection pictures and it’s pretty rough," he said.
Local officials said the Otter Creek Road Bridge is one of three bridges in Vine Grove that have required significant attention in recent years.
The city applied for federal grants for the St. Andrews Street Bridge, the Creekville Bridge and the Otter Creek Road Bridge.
The Creekville Bridge has already been repaired, while the St. Andrews Street Bridge still needs work.
Vine Grove Mayor Pam Ogden said bridges must meet certain state requirements, including weight ratings, to qualify for repair funding.
The Otter Creek Road Bridge did not meet the necessary rating to remain open.
"We had it at 2 ton," Ogden said. "Apparently, they didn’t tell us what it was rated at, but they told us it was less than what we needed to keep it open."
She said the bridge will cost at least $1.5 million to rebuild. The city's annual budget is $6 million.
Whipkey said the closure will require adjustments for his family, including getting his daughter to the bus stop on the other side of the detour.
Still, he said safety comes first.
"If I’ve got to take my daughter up to school and it’s deemed unsafe, I would rather have a safe travel than a horrid travel," he said.
Whipkey added the closure may also reduce late-night traffic near his home, where teenagers sometimes sped across the bridge.
The Otter Creek Road Bridge is expected to reopen in 2027.
