Nelson County judge: state bridge replacement on Highway 62 forced detours; county added shoulders and safety measures on Hall Simpson Road

Nelson County Judge Executive Tim Hutchins said a state-ordered replacement of a bridge on Highway 62 has prompted detours that pushed heavy traffic onto the narrower Hall Simpson Road, and county crews moved quickly to install temporary safety measures.

Hutchins said the state is prioritizing bridges it deems most in need of replacement and that the detour routed big trucks onto Hall Simpson Road. "The state helped us with the flashing signs and we put some more detour signs up," he said, adding that county crews placed rock shoulders "about a foot and a half, probably 18 inches or so" to improve passing room and reduce mud on the narrow roadway.

Why it matters: Residents complained about safety and road damage on the detour route. Hutchins said the county will return to clean and seed disturbed shoulder areas and urged patience while the state completes the bridge project.

Hutchins described the corridor as "fairly narrow" and said crews also installed a speed bump on one approach to slow traffic. "People better slow down or they're going to get knocked pretty good," he said.

The judge said the county stepped in because the bridge replacement is a state project and the state has limits on what it can provide locally. "It's a state bridge on 62 ... they were the ones that mandated the replacement," Hutchins said, and while state crews provided signage, the county elected to shoulder the detour roadwork so residents would have a safer route.

Hutchins did not provide a construction timetable for the state bridge, saying only that the state is working through bridges "in the most need" for public safety. He urged drivers to use designated detours and to heed posted signs and temporary speed controls.

Next steps: Hutchins said county crews will clean up and seed any disturbed areas created by the emergency shoulder work once conditions allow.