Construction of New U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland Remains Ahead of Schedule
Pier concrete pour scheduled Monday with roadway work to resume
PADUCAH, Ky. (May 13, 2022) — The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) reports construction of the New U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland, in Livingston County, continues to run ahead of schedule. Starting Monday, May 19, the contractor will resume roadway work at the U.S. 60/KY 70 intersection on the south approach. There will also be another concrete pour on the main pier on the north bank of the river.
According to KYTC District 1 Chief Engineer Kyle Poat, while there were some delays due to floodwaters during the fall and winter, the project appears to be approximately two months ahead of schedule.
“The project is progressing at a great pace with the recent completion of the south main pier and placement of beams this week for span 3 on the south approach,” Poat said. “The contractor has scheduled another concrete pour on the north main pier for Monday – the final pier remaining to be completed.”
The 700 ft. steel truss for the main span is nearing completion and is being painted at the Paducah Riverport, where it was assembled.
“The schedule calls for the truss to be completed and floated to the bridge site sometime in September, where it will then be jacked into place on the piers,” Poat said. “We anticipate that it will take about six to eight months to pour a concrete deck on the main span to prepare it for traffic in late spring of 2023.”
Jim Smith Contracting of Grand Rivers is the prime contractor on the $63.6 million project to erect the new 1,912 ft. structure immediately downstream from the existing bridge.
The contractor and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet engineers have established an updated work schedule for the project.
July 2022
Span 5 beams set (Final south approach section)
September 2022
Main truss float-in on Span 4 (Main span)
October-November 2022
Deck Concrete on Span 4
April-June 2023
U.S. 60 highway connections tie-in
Traffic moved to new bridge
Demolition of old bridge
June-August 2023
Final roadway surfacing & finish work
Target completion date Dec. 1, 2023
Additional Info
Jim Smith Contracting partnered with American Bridge Company to assemble structural steel for the 700 ft. main truss for the new structure at the Paducah Riverport.
The New U.S.60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland has a truss design similar to the U.S. 60 Tennessee River Bridge at Ledbetter. The new bridge will have a 40-foot-wide, two-lane deck with 12-foot driving lanes and 6-foot shoulders, providing ample clearance for most farm equipment to cross without stopping oncoming traffic.
To aid river navigation on the Cumberland River, the new bridge will have no piers in the water during normal river conditions.
In addition to providing a significant cross-country transportation link for U.S. 60 through western Kentucky, the U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland is a critical connection for local Livingston County traffic. The Cumberland River splits the county, and the bridge is the only direct link for local commuters, commerce, school buses, and emergency responders.
The existing U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland, also known as the Lucy Jefferson Lewis Memorial Bridge and the Smithland Bridge, is 1,817 feet long and was opened to traffic in 1931.
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