A bridge inspector had to be called to the US 60 Tennessee River Bridge at Ledbetter in Livingston County last night after a barge hit the main pier of the structure.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard Operations Center in Louisville, the Motor Vessel Tennessee Hunter was pushing 15 empty hopper barges when the captain reported strong currents caused by floodwaters pushed the tow into the single in-water pier around 11:30 Tuesday night.
The pilot of the barge reported to the U.S. Coast Guard that no significant damage to the barges and no immediate damage to the pier were visible.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials indicate traffic on the bridge was restricted to one lane about 45 minutes to allow an inspector to access the deck above the main pier. After running a safety check on the bridge structure and checking the in-water pier for signs of damage, officials say the certified bridge inspector gave an all clear. The inspector will be back on the bridge on this morning to check the pier during daylight.
The Motor Vessel Tennessee Hunter has the distinction of being the first tow boat to strike the in-water pier on the New Ledbetter Bridge which opened to traffic at the end of July 2013.
The US 60 Tennessee River Bridge connects McCracken County to Livingston County between Paducah and Ledbetter. Officials say approximately 8,000 vehicles cross the structure in an average day.
(Image Source: World Atlas)