An important traffic alert for next week: the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced KY1 near KY 784 (milepost 1.1) in Greenup County will shut down most of the day next Wednesday. The road is closed for a good cause, though. Contractors will set concrete beams in place for the Lost Creek Bridge replacement project.
According to the Transportation Cabinet, those beams weigh 35 tons each, so safety for workers and drivers is a priority. Officials said the road will close on August 19 from 7 am to 5 pm.
$900,000 Bridge Project
Workers started on the $900,000 project this month. The state said the extensive project includes rebuilding the current bridge one lane at a time and constructing a new and better bridge.
Right now, the KY bridge over Lost Creek is only one lane and controlled by temporary signals. According to the Transportation Cabinet, “There is not enough room to safely maintain traffic alongside the crane and beam-setting operations.”
The bridge should reopen for 1-lane traffic sometime after 5 pm. However, bad weather could postpone the work.
Replace 1,000 Bridges
The project is part of the Bridging Kentucky program. Over the next six years, the KYTC said it plans to, “Rehabilitate, repair, or replace more than 1,000 critical structures across the Commonwealth – improving safety, access, and mobility for all Kentuckians.“
The estimated cost for the project is $700 million dollars to replace bridges in 120 counties. This project is focused on improving the safety of Kentucky’s most critical existing bridges. Typical transportation projects focus on expanding the system or building new roads and structures. The Transportation Cabinet said new roads and bridges are needed. However, they said that funding is up to political leaders. Right now, they are focused on keeping Kentuckians safe.
“The Bridging Kentucky program is a commitment to improving safety and soundness of the Commonwealth’s bridges by rehabilitating, repairing, or replacing critical bridges throughout the state. The program is designed to open closed structures, improve bridge lifespans, ensure appropriate weight capacities are met and improve access and mobility for all Kentuckians.