Media ADVISORY- Brookport Bridge Update While the City of Paducah is on track to finish their Greenway Trail tunnel installation on schedule, the US 45 Ohio River “Brookport” Bridge is expected to remain closed for about another week. That would put the opening date around August 4th. The Geenway Trail Tunnel Project was scheduled to be completed by Tuesday, July 29th. However, the bridge will remain closed to all traffic for about another week to allow a contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to complete repairs to a damaged beam on the bridge. Engineers had hoped the two projects would end at about the same time, but production of a steel beam delayed the repair work. On June 18th, KYTC engineers asked the public for information about a vehicle, presumed to be an oversized load, that damaged a beam along the northbound lane on the second span from the Kentucky side of the river. The damage forced the bridge to be reduced to a 20-ton load limit while repairs were being planned. With help from the public, transportation officials determined that the damaged beam had been hit within a couple of days of April 30th, but it had gone unreported June 18th. Engineers now believe the vehicle was a red truck, most likely hauling a large piece of equipment. An emergency contract was let and a new beam fabricated with the hope of completing the work during the closure for the tunnel construction. KYTC engineers and the contractor have completed as much prep work as possible. However, with the time needed to fabricate the required steel, it cannot be delivered until Sunday. The beam repair is expected to take about a week to complete, weather permitting. Judy C. Harp Construction of Frankfort is the prime contractor on the $68,269 bridge repair project. KYTC spokesman Keith Todd indicated that engineers are optimistic the bridge can be ready for traffic in time for the morning commute on Monday, August 4th. State highway crews have taken advantage of the closure to perform additional maintenance work on the bridge and bridge approach levees to reduce the need for lane restrictions on the river crossing once it reopens. Also known as the Irvin S. Cobb Bridge, the U.S, 45 Ohio River “Brookport” Bridge is at McCracken County mile point 12.8. The 10-span bridge carries approximately 5,000 vehicles across the river each day between Paducah, and Brookport, Illinois. The bridge is limited to vehicles no more than 8 ft. wide which eliminates most truck traffic. The 5,385 ft. structure at Ohio River navigation mile point 937.3 was opened to traffic in 1929.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 19:35:20 +0000
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