Bridges of Pendleton County, Kentucky

seicer · November 03, 2011, 11:24:16 AM

Located south of Cincinnati, Ohio along the Licking River and U.S. Route 27 is Pendleton County, Kentucky. Comprised of rolling hills and only one town of any significant population — Falmouth, the county boasts several historic bridges that are both active and abandoned. The first span I visited was the Kentucky State Route 177 Bridge spanning the South Fork Licking River for 637 feet at Butler was constructed in 1936 as a Parker through truss. It was given a new battleship gray paint job in 2010.

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Just to the south was the Catawba Road Bridge over a CSX Transportation railroad line (former Louisville and Nashville Railroad) is a timber stringer span. It has a poor bridge deck and is structurally deficient.

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Located in the county seat of Falmouth, the Kentucky State Route 22 Bridge over the Licking River is a two-span Parker through truss that was constructed in 1927. The blue-hued bridge was rehabilitated in 1972 and is currently structurally deficient because of the poor condition of the bridge deck and superstructure. Compare the top photograph, taken in February 2008 to the remainder, photographed in late October 2011. The paint has become considerably distressed.

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The South Fork Grassy Creek Bridge (KY 1657) includes two crossings, one of which is abandoned. The spans are located in rural Pendleton County, Kentucky. The abandoned bridge, a Pratt through truss, was closed to traffic in 1964. It is used today to ferry cattle across the creek.

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