Truss for New U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland to be Floated on Barges to Construction Site in Mid-September
Exact schedule depends on weather
PADUCAH, Ky. (Aug. 30, 2022) – The massive steel truss for a new U.S. 60 bridge over the Cumberland River at Smithland will be floated into position on four jumbo barges under a plan developed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), Jim Smith Contracting, American Bridge, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The cabinet has set a tentative schedule of mid-September for the operation, with everything being subject to weather and river conditions.
“This is a significant step toward completion of the new bridge,” said KYTC District 1 Chief Engineer Kyle Poat. “Jim Smith Contracting, American Bridge, and the numerous agencies that are involved in supporting the movement and placement of this truss will be putting in hundreds of hours in coming weeks to assure that everything goes as planned.”
American Bridge assembled the 700-foot blue steel structure on barges at the Paducah Riverport. The plan is to float it 14 miles upstream on the Ohio River to the construction site near the mouth of the Cumberland River in Livingston County.
Movement and placement of the truss will be a three-day process that will involve KYTC engineers, U.S. Coast Guard personnel, American Bridge engineers, numerous local agencies, and Jim Smith Contracting – the prime contractor for the $63.6 million project.
Here is an outline of the truss move:
- Likely date of the move will be Sept. 9-20; exact timing to be dictated by weather and river conditions.
- The Coast Guard plans to close the Ohio River between the Paducah Riverport and Smithland to all boat traffic to accommodate the move
- Day 1: Truss to leave Paducah Riverport; voyage to bridge site to take about 4 hours.
- Day 2: Truss to be jacked to an elevation where it can be floated over the main piers of the bridge structure.
- Day 3: Truss lowered onto piers; jacking towers removed.
Traffic on the existing U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland will be restricted to one lane with an automated signal during the 3-day process.
Once the truss is in place, Jim Smith Contracting expects it will take 6 to 8 months to complete the deck on the main span to prepare it for traffic in late spring of 2023. The new bridge is immediately downstream from the existing bridge, which opened to traffic in 1931.
The contractor and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet engineers have established an updated work schedule for the project.
September 2022
Main truss float-in on Span 4
October-November 2022
Deck Concrete on Span 4
April-May 2023
U.S. 60 highway connections tie-in
Traffic moved to new bridge
Demolition of old bridge
June-August 2023
Final roadway surfacing and finish work
Target completion date Dec. 1, 2023
Additional information:
The new bridge has a truss design similar to that of the U.S. 60 Tennessee River Bridge at Ledbetter. It will have a 40-foot-wide, two-lane deck with 12-foot driving lanes and 8-foot shoulders that will provide 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.
The new bridge will provide a significant cross-country link for U.S. 60 through western Kentucky and 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.
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Photo Caption: The 700 ft. truss for the New U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland was assembled by American Bridge at the Paducah Riverport. In mid-September the truss will be moved to the bridge construction site for installation. (Photo credit: American Bridge)
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