Kentucky Transportation Cabinet crews have made a temporary repair to a bent finger joint on the Interstate 24 Tennessee River Bridge, otherwise known as the Luther Draffen Bridge, allowing all lanes to reopen to traffic.
According to KYTC, engineers are continuing to evaluate the joint at the 30-mile marker on the Marshall-Livingston County line to determine whether a more permanent repair can be made or the joint will have to be replaced. KYTC reported July 22 that the joint suffered damage either from a passing truck or extreme heat, which caused it to bend. Eastbound traffic had been restricted to one lane.
The 2,017-foot bridge is a twin suspension arch system with 534-foot main spans. The bridge opened to traffic in 1974 and carries about 30,000 vehicles per day.