KYTC to Begin Inspection, Testing of Welds
on Kennedy Bridge to Ensure Safety
Extended traffic lane closures scheduled
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 10, 2022) – In keeping with its mission to provide a safe transportation system for the traveling public, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) this fall will begin rigorous testing of metal welds on the John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge, which carries Interstate 65 South over the Ohio River.
The federally-mandated inspection will require single-lane closures on the six-lane bridge from Monday, Oct. 17, through Dec. 16. The lane closures will be contained to either the far-right or far-left lanes as the inspection advances. Digital message signs will be placed on I-65 South notifying motorists of the work well in advance of the closures.
There will be no lane closures during the Thanksgiving holiday. The Abraham Lincoln Bridge, which carries I-65 North over the river, will not be impacted.
All structures carrying public roads in the United States undergo a routine inspection every 24 months. For certain spans, like the Kennedy Bridge, a hands-on inspection of critical members is also performed. This biennial inspection was performed on the Kennedy Bridge in August. While that inspection report contained no critical findings for the bridge built in 1964, the upcoming inspection is more specialized. It will involve removing paint, testing hundreds of welds and replacing primer.
“This in-depth inspection will determine whether very specific repairs will be needed. The public can be assured that our bridges will be kept safe,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray.
The Kennedy Bridge is the only span in the Department of Highways District 5 region that will undergo this type of inspection. It contains “T-1” steel – a grade of high-strength, quenched and treated steel known for being highly amenable to welding and machining. However, in May 2021, a fracture was discovered in a weld – referred to as a “butt weld” – in a T-1 steel component of the Interstate 40 Hernando de Soto Bridge between Memphis, Tennessee, and West Memphis, Arkansas.
As a result, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in December 2021 issued a memorandum to states to identify, inspect and test specific T-1 steel bridges to verify the soundness of all butt welds with the use of non-destructive testing. FHWA asked that all the projects be completed by March 31, 2024.
Michael Baker International, an engineering firm instrumental in the emergency repair of the Interstate 71/Interstate 75 Brent Spence Bridge between Covington and Cincinnati following a fire in 2020, will lead the inspection and testing.
As updates become available, information on the lane closures and traffic impacts will be posted online at transportation.ky.gov/DistrictFive, facebook.com/KYTCDistrict5 and twitter.com/KYTCDistrict5. Visit trimarc.org for real-time traffic information for Bullitt, Oldham and Jefferson counties and goky.ky.gov for the entire state.
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The John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge carries Interstate 65 South over the Ohio River.
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