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Blast date to be set during coordination meeting on Monday
PADUCAH, Ky. (November 22, 2023) – The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), Jim Smith Contracting, and a demolition sub-contractor are moving ahead with plans for explosive demolition of the Old U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland late next week.
The demolition contractor plans to start placing charges on the bridge main truss and approach spans after the Thanksgiving holiday. Working in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard, the project team will meet Monday afternoon to make a final decision on the specific blast date based on weather conditions and other factors.
Starting sometime this weekend, the demolition contractor will cut key locations on the main truss before placing explosives on the structure. The explosives crew plans to take down the truss and some of the approach spans with one coordinated blast.
The explosive demolition of the old bridge will require the New U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge to be closed to traffic for about two hours starting promptly at 8:30 a.m., on the day of the blast. Commercial tow boat and pleasure boat traffic will be halted for 24 hours on the Cumberland River to allow a barge-mounted crane to remove pieces of the steel truss from the river.
The public is asked to comply with a 1,500 ft. clear zone around the blast site that will be strictly enforced. Plans include a viewing area for the public.
Once the initial blast has taken down the main truss and approach spans, two additional blasts will be scheduled at about two-week intervals to take down remnants of the old bridge, including the concrete piers and concrete abutments.
KYTC District 1 will provide additional information following the blast team meeting on Monday, Nov. 27.
The New U.S. 60 Cumberland River “Smithland” Bridge at Smithland, also known as the Jim R. Smith Memorial Bridge, opened to traffic on May 15, 2023. The new bridge is at U.S. 60 Livingston County mile point 12.348. The 1,912 ft. structure with a 700 ft. main truss and 40 ft. wide deck was constructed by Jim Smith Contracting of Grand Rivers.
About 5,100 vehicles cross the Smithland Bridge in an average day. The bridge is at Cumberland River navigation mile point 2.7.
To get traffic advisories and alerts for KYTC District 1 counties via email, please go to https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/KYTC/signup/13651. Click on the District 1 counties you regularly drive through, or on any of the specialty corridors you travel. Check your SPAM filtering to assure Gov Delivery is on your approved list.
Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of KYTC Highway District 1 are available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1. You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.
Navigate traffic at goky.ky.gov, at waze.com, or with the WAZE App.
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