A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to temporarily halt traffic on the New US 68/KY 80 Lake Barkley Bridge at Canton on Friday June 29, 2018.
Traffic on the New US 68/KY 80 Lake Barkley Bridge at Canton will be halted for about 5 to 10 minutes to allow explosive demolition of the remaining main in-water piers on the old bridge. This traffic halt is expected to take place sometime around noon on Friday.
Since the portion of the old pier being demolished with explosives is under water, there should be no debris to remove from the new bridge, so traffic is expected to be able to resume fairly quickly after the blast. With the blast under water, there will also be little to see for spectators.
Once this final round of explosive demolition is completed, the contractor will continue mechanical demolition of the remaining secondary piers.
Again, this brief blockage of traffic on the new bridge sometime around Noon on Friday is expected to last for about 10 minutes. Boat traffic in the area will also be halted for a time.
The New US 68/KY 80 Cumberland River/Lake Barkley Bridge, also known as the Canton Bridge, carries approximately 3,000 vehicles across Lake Barkley/The Cumberland River in an average day.
The bridge is located at US 68 mile point 8.596 in Trigg County and serves as the eastern entrance to Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. The bridge is at Cumberland River navigational mile point 63.1.
PCL Civil Constructors of Denver has a $128 million contract for construction of the new bridge, which includes demolition of the old bridge. The new bridge opened to 2-lane traffic earlier this year and finish work continues on the new structure, including permanent highway connections and completion of connections for the multi-use trail. The new bridge is expected to be ready for 4-lane traffic in late 2018.