Route 52 now open to traffic

Following a rock slide that forced its closure, U.S. Route 52 in Lawrence County is now open to two lanes of traffic in each direction.

The route was closed during the overnight hours Friday, April 10, after a massive boulder slid off the hillside and onto the route’s westbound lanes near the Ashland, Ky. twin bridges at Coal Grove.

While all four lanes of the highway were closed during the overnight and early morning hours, crews from the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Lawrence County Highway Maintenance Facility were able to clear residual debris from the eastbound lanes, reopening U.S. 52 East to one lane of traffic by mid-morning Friday.

The maintenance crews were then mobilized immediately with crews from DGM, Inc. to begin breaking apart the boulder and start clearing the road. Using track hoes affixed with jackhammers and working around the clock since, they have cleared away an approximate 2,350 tons of rubble and repaired the road, restoring it to traffic shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday, April 12.

ODOT District 9 Deputy Director Vaughn Wilson commends the efforts of the crews from both Lawrence County ODOT and DGM who expedited operations and worked continuously throughout the weekend to reopen the route to traffic.

ODOT's maintenance forces may be conducting additional pavement, shoulder and ditch work during the week; however, the route will remain open while they are at work.