PADUCAH, Ky. (August 2, 2020) — A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans a work zone lane restriction on the U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland on Monday, August 3, 2020.
This work zone with a lane and 10 ft. maximum load width restriction is expected to be in place from approximately 8 a.m., CDT, to about 4 p.m., on Monday. This work zone could continue on Tuesday, August 4, if required.
Motorists should be alert for one lane traffic with alternating flow controlled by flaggers.
The work zone lane restriction is to allow the contractor to use an Under Bridge Inspection Vehicle (UBIV) to place additional scaffolding for a work platform on one of the bridge piers. The platform is to facilitate work on the pier and repairs to a bearing on the bridge. After Monday, almost all of the planned work can be completed from under the bridge deck with no further impact to traffic flow.
This maintenance work on the existing bridge is the first step toward construction of a new U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland. It is aimed at getting the existing bridge in optimum condition to maintain traffic flow while the new bridge is under construction.
Sometime in about the next week the contractor plans to start land-clearing work to prepare for construction to start on the New U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge just downstream from the existing bridge.
Jim Smith Contracting, LLC, of Grand Rivers is the prime contractor on a $63.6 million project to construct the new bridge over the next 3 years. The target for moving traffic to the new bridge is in the spring of 2023.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the contractor will provide timely updates as work on the new bridge progresses.
The existing U.S. 60 Cumberland River bridge at Smithland, also known as the Lucy Jefferson Lewis Memorial Bridge and the Smithland Bridge, is at U.S. 60 Livingston County mile point 12.348. The 1,817 ft. through truss structure was opened to traffic in 1931. About 5,100 vehicles cross the bridge in an average day.
The U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland is at Cumberland River navigation milepoint 2.7.
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