NEWS RELEASE
AURORA, Ky. (April 4, 2016) — The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) expects two-lane traffic to move to the new U.S. 68/KY 80 Eggners Ferry Bridge on Friday, April 8.
While work continues to prepare for the move, KYTC engineers are reasonably confident preparations can be completed by Friday.
Traffic will be allowed onto the new structure once several punch list items are complete. Crews have worked around the clock to finish several items including pouring concrete barrier walls, inspecting the tensioning of the deck support cables and diamond grinding of the bridge deck. Shifting traffic to the new bridge will allow officials to develop a timeline for the demolition of the old Eggners Ferry Bridge.
Due to an offset of the navigation channel between structures, the U.S. Coast Guard has requested that the main spans of the existing structure be removed as quickly as possible once the traffic shift to the new structure is completed.
Construction of a multi-use path and other finish work will continue along the eastbound lanes while the new bridge is open to two-way traffic on what will become the westbound lanes. The remaining work is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The existing U.S. 68/KY 80 Eggners Ferry Bridge initially opened to traffic in March 1932. In 1943, the bridge was closed for 6 months to allow the bridge to be raised to accommodate higher water levels due to the impounding of Kentucky Lake. Approximately 3,000 vehicles cross the existing Eggners Ferry Bridge daily.
In January 2012, a 322 ft. span of the Eggners Ferry Bridge was struck and knocked into the Kentucky Lake by the Delta Mariner cargo ship. KYTC engineers developed plans to rebuild the missing span and restore traffic to the bridge in 17 weeks. The existing Eggners Ferry Bridge was reopened to traffic in 2012 prior to Memorial Day.
Johnson Brothers Corporation of Ft. Worth, TX, a Southland Company, is the prime contractor on the $133 million Eggners Ferry Bridge project.
(Featured Photo: KYTC)