Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) engineers have performed a thorough inspection of the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge in Jefferson County, following yesterday’s crash involving a semi-truck that closed the bridge to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Their assessment confirms the bridge is safe for vehicle travel, and the damages found do not affect the bridge’s structural integrity. Three lanes will initially reopen to vehicle traffic this evening.
A partial reopening of the Clark Memorial Bridge, which carries U.S. 31 over the Ohio River, is scheduled for today. The southbound left lane, and both northbound lanes, are estimated to reopen by 6.p.m. on Saturday, March 2. Both sidewalks will remain closed to pedestrian travel until repairs have been completed. Traffic control devices are being placed to allow for the reopening. Transportation officials are developing repair plans which may require traffic management adjustments once contracted work begins.
KYTC engineers quickly arrived on scene following the incident, staging inspection teams and special equipment, including a snooper truck, to be used once the area was cleared. At approximately 7:53 p.m. on Friday, March 1, the semi-truck was removed and physical inspections began to assess damage to the sidewalk support under the deck, which connects to the adjacent bridge structure. Additional KYTC crews were on the scene last night and this morning and worked to secure the crash site.
Inspections found most of the damage was confined to the sidewalk structure which was designed to support pedestrian traffic, not vehicular traffic.
“Yesterday’s incident was an extremely rare and unusual event after decades of carrying millions of vehicles across the bridge,” said KYTC State Highway Engineer James Ballinger. “After thorough engineering analysis, the bridge is safe to carry vehicles and we can reopen three lanes to traffic until repair work begins. We are thankful for the heroic recovery of the semi-truck driver and continue to keep the crash victims in our prayers.”
In addition to reopening the bridge, KYTC engineers are planning an emergency maintenance project to repair damaged hand railing and the sidewalk, as well as make steel repairs to sidewalk supports.
To expedite the project, the repair team plans to use an existing contract with a contractor who recently completed repairs to another portion of the bridge. That contractor was on site today to assess damages. An estimated timeline to begin repairs will be dependent on securing and fabricating steel for the supporting members of the sidewalk and railing. Engineers will also continue to examine improvement opportunities as part of the after-action review.
“Our goal is to start work as soon as possible and lots will be happening behind the scenes to develop repair plans and designs, as well as traffic management plans once work starts,” said Ballinger. “This is not expected to be a long-term closure and we will update the public on the timeline as we have more details.”
The Clark Memorial Bridge was built in 1929 and reconstructed in 1958. It carries an average of 24,000 vehicles per day across the Ohio River, including passenger and commercial vehicles that weigh up to 40 tons.