Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced Friday the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has started replacing county and state bridges damaged by flooding this summer.
Beshear said priority would be placed on publicly owned crossings damaged or destroyed and have significantly limited driver access. KYTC will replace or repair more than 170 flood-damaged bridges in Eastern Kentucky, part of nearly 1,100 sites assessed for flood damage by KYTC. Among the 170 bridges identified for replacement or repair, approximately 100 require full replacement or replacement of the bridge superstructure at the top of the bridge.
“Our teams have moved with unprecedented speed to restore access where these bridges were the only way many of our fellow Kentuckians were able to reach their homes,” Beshear said. “We are utilizing all the resources at our disposal to restore access. This is a great example of how Team Kentucky is working day and night, not just to clean up but also to rebuild what was lost. The residents need this critical access so they can return to their homes, to their lives, and to a sense of normalcy as we rebuild damaged infrastructure throughout Eastern Kentucky.”
Two bridge replacement projects are already under construction in Perry County – Dan Lane over Big Willard Creek and Macintosh Mt. over Little Willard Creek – and are expected to be completed in less than two months. They are among the 33 structures initially targeted for rapid replacements in Perry, Knott, Pike, Letcher, and Floyd counties. All of the bridges are expected to be ready for construction by the end of the month and replaced by the end of the current construction season.
Work has also been expedited on a damaged bridge in Knott County that was already slated for replacement as part of an ongoing design-build project in Eastern Kentucky.
Since late July, KYTC and its partners have completed temporary crossings at 19 sites to restore vehicle access to homes cut off from their communities when bridges were damaged or destroyed during flooding. Temporary crossings are underway or pending at an additional seven sites. These temporary crossings – culvert pipes overlaid with a hardpacked roadbed called diversions, allow drivers to safely cross streams and creeks.
The commission is also working with consultants to assess needs and prepare plans for more than 60 bridges with significant damage. Department of Highways staff and contractors are also working to repair dozens of other bridge sites with damage to roadway approaches, retaining walls, and embankments.
“KYTC has accessed every tool available to quickly advance these projects,” said State Highway Engineer James Ballinger. “We are utilizing our state forces and existing contracts with consultants for site survey, design, and construction management, as well as existing and emergency contracts with contractors for construction and demolition. Each of these partners is moving deliberately and urgently, and our teams won’t quit until the job is done.”
KYTC also launched an Eastern Kentucky online flood debris removal schedule where residents can monitor debris cleanup efforts. As of Sept. 2, KYTC has collected 4,460 truckloads of debris from waterways and roadways.