Update: KYTC Expediting Repairs to Blackey Bridge in Letcher County
Pikeville, KY – (June 05, 2024) Transportation Cabinet engineers are working to make repairs as quickly as possible to the Blackey Bridge in Letcher County following its immediate closure this week due to structural safety concerns.
During a routine inspection of the bridge, which links KY 7 and KY 588 at Blackey in Letcher County, damage was identified within critical steel connections underneath the structure that required it to be closed immediately on Monday to safeguard the traveling public.
“We understand the inconvenience of closing bridges, but our highest priority is protecting the public,” said Chief District Engineer Mary Westfall-Holbrook. “We continue to evaluate the situation and will work diligently toward a solution. We appreciate the public's patience and cooperation as we work to ensure the safety of our infrastructure.”
The Transportation Cabinet has expedited hiring a consultant to plan repair work. This week, you can expect to see personnel on the bridge gathering information and taking measurements, marking the first step toward repairs.
At this time, there is no estimate for when repairs can be completed or when the bridge can reopen. Repairing the damage will require fabricating new steel components, which could involve a longer time frame for repairs. The bridge will remain closed until further notice.
Detour routes include KY 160 to KY 15 or KY 2036 to KY 7 towards Perry County. State highway crews are working to patch potholes, widen shoulders, and make other improvements on KY 588 to assist local traffic using that route.
The Blackey Bridge, a 1930 steel truss bridge over the North Fork of the Kentucky River, serves approximately 180 vehicles per day.
Updates will be provided as they become available.
Get up-to-date traffic advisories for KYTC Highway District 12 by going to https://www.facebook.com/KYTCD12 or sign up for alerts via email or text by visiting https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/KYTC/subscriber/new and look for the list of District 12 counties. Check your spam filtering to assure Gov Delivery is on your approved email list.
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