Main Truss Going up on New Ledbetter Bridge

Work on the New US 60 Tennessee River Bridge at Ledbetter moved into a new phase Friday.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reports steel workers have taken the first steps required to start erecting steel on the McCracken County end of the new bridge. To this point, the assembly of structural steel on the main truss starting on the Livingston County end of the new bridge has been the most visible sign of progress.

State highway engineers report about 25 percent of the main truss has been erected. About 400 feet of the superstructure is easily visible on the east end of the new bridge.

A contractor started Friday at Pier 7 on the McCracken County side and will work back toward the western approaches. This will eventually allow structural steel for the main span to be erected over the river channel in coming months.

Starting about 4 am Monday, workers plan to pour concrete on another section of the east approach spans. Reinforcing steel has been tied together and is awaiting the arrival of fresh concrete. Delivery of concrete to the site from a mixing facility in Calvert City will create extra truck traffic along KY 453, KY 937, and US 60 through Livingston County during the day Monday.

In recent weeks, the four contractors at work on the new bridge have had about 40 to 50 employees working at any given time. Warmer weather is expected to allow the pace of work to gradually increase moving into the summer construction season.

The new $92 million four-lane bridge is on track for completion in mid-2014.

The existing US 60 Tennessee River Bridge, just downstream from the new bridge, was opened to traffic in 1931. It is posted with a strictly enforced three-ton load limit, which essentially restricts the bridge to passenger vehicles and unloaded pick-up trucks only. The bridge is also posted with a 35 mph speed limit.

Information provided by Keith Todd, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.