Sherman Minton closed Indefinitely.........I-64 west end of Louisville.

[ShawnP]

Ahhhhhhhhh the contractors did it. Nope still under INDOT's perview. In the Navy we have saying. You can delegate the work but never the responsibility. So INDOT's still on the hook in my book.

[codyg1985]

But according to the federal memo, the cracks were caused by hydrogen being caught in the metal during the welding process.

I wonder if they used a large-sized weld that is prone to lots of heat to be discharged?

Indiana and federal officials said this week that the cracks weren't severe enough to warrant closing the bridge. But the discovery that the cracks were "critical"  – a trigger for additional inspections or other immediate action – prompted the work that found a separate, hidden crack on the bridge, resulting in its Sept. 9 closure.

At least INDOT saw that the cracks affected critical members which eventually led to the closure of the bridge. I still say a larger disaster was averted and it could have been much, much worse.

[qguy]

In the Navy we have saying. You can delegate the work but never the responsibility. So INDOT's still on the hook in my book.

So true. When I was an Air Force officer, in any type of training environment someone would eventually remind those present that "you can delegate authority but not responsibility." I've said it myself many times when training others (even in civilian life).

Words to live by if ever there were.

[ShawnP]

Interesting offer from the Casino. Pictures and Video also.........

http://www.wdrb.com/story/16324231/only-on-wdrb-hall-construction-speaks-out-on-sherman-minton-bridge-repairs

[mukade]

Sherman Minton Bridge likely to open 'days' before deadline (from courier-journal.com)

[ShawnP]

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120214/NEWS01/302140035/Sherman-Minton-Bridge-reopening

[NWI_Irish96]

http://www.wdrb.com/story/16961749/sherman-minton-bridge-re-opens

Midnight tonight!

[ShawnP]

Partially open...........they will close lanes to paint the new steel.

[rickmastfan67]

http://www.wdrb.com/story/16961749/sherman-minton-bridge-re-opens

And it's now open once again.  Off to update OSM if nobody else beats me to it.

[ShawnP]

Kinda, sorta open. They will have major lane closures as they have to paint the new steel. INDOT could be have some very mad folks if traffic still backs up. My theory all along has been to close it and do all painting, decking and other work that would be needed to keep the bridge around 30 plus more years. Indiana has almost 2 billion extra dollars in the bank so it could "find" the money. Perfect chance for INDOT to make a BOLD statement to folks that they can take a bad situation and turn it around. Instead it went with the cheapest route and we have a bridge that still needs repair work.

[ibthebigd]

Closed again indefinitely

SM-G996U

[ilpt4u]

Closed again indefinitely

SM-G996U

From the Bridge project site, posted Friday 28 July:

https://shermanmintonrenewal.com/friday-evening-i-64-bridge-update/

[CtrlAltDel]

Closed again indefinitely

SM-G996U

From the Bridge project site, posted Friday 28 July:

https://shermanmintonrenewal.com/friday-evening-i-64-bridge-update/

That reminds me of what happened with the I-40 bridge over the Mississippi in Memphis.

[ilpt4u]

Closed again indefinitely

SM-G996U

From the Bridge project site, posted Friday 28 July:

https://shermanmintonrenewal.com/friday-evening-i-64-bridge-update/

That reminds me of what happened with the I-40 bridge over the Mississippi in Memphis.

At least Metro Louisville has 2 other interstate-grade Ohio River crossings and a 3rd local crossing for vehicular traffic. Granted, the two other interstate (grade since I-265 still isn't fully approved and signed for the East End crossing) are toll crossings. The local/US 31 bridge into downtown Louisville is the only current remaining free crossing

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Closed again indefinitely

SM-G996U

From the Bridge project site, posted Friday 28 July:

https://shermanmintonrenewal.com/friday-evening-i-64-bridge-update/

That reminds me of what happened with the I-40 bridge over the Mississippi in Memphis.

How many times did Arkansas & Tennessee have to close the I-40 bridge in Memphis?
This is the 2nd time in 12 years Indiana & Kentucky have had to close the I-64 bridge.

[ilpt4u]

https://shermanmintonrenewal.com/i-64-bridge-update-3/

Update from Monday, 31 July

Basically, INDOT and KYTC are hoping/planning to have the bridge reopen to traffic by Monday 7 Aug AM Rush

[CardInLex]

https://shermanmintonrenewal.com/i-64-bridge-update-3/

Update from Monday, 31 July

Basically, INDOT and KYTC are hoping/planning to have the bridge reopen to traffic by Monday 7 Aug AM Rush

Update today is that the bridge will not reopen before the AM rush hour. The latest press release makes it sound less hopeful and that when it does reopen it will only be the lower deck. The upper deck will remain closed indefinitely.  https://shermanmintonrenewal.com/crews-continue-repairs-on-kentucky-approach-bridge-throughout-the-weekend/

[ITB]

Good news. On Monday, after the completion of emergency repairs, KYTC and its contractor, Kokosing, reopened the lower deck of the bridge. The upper deck, which carries one westbound lane of traffic, will remain closed until a permanent repair completes.

The renewal project, which is expected to extend the service life of the bridge by 30 years, is costing about $140 million. To construct a completely new bridge would probably be in the ballpark of $2 billion. Pretty much a no-brainer to do the renewal.

[The Ghostbuster]

If the Sherman Minton Bridge were ever completely reconstructed with a new bridge, I would imagine it would be reconstructed as a single-decked bridge instead of a double-decked bridge. Since the two decks opened in 1961 and 1962, how much service life might the existing bridge have before such a reconstruction is warranted?

[ITB]

If the Sherman Minton Bridge were ever completely reconstructed with a new bridge, I would imagine it would be reconstructed as a single-decked bridge instead of a double-decked bridge. Since the two decks opened in 1961 and 1962, how much service life might the existing bridge have before such a reconstruction is warranted?

It's not so much the deck that determines when a bridge should be replaced. Decks can be rebuilt and modernized. It's the piers that tend to be more problematic. If they start to significantly deteriorate that's when talk usually begins about the need for a new bridge. The decks of the Sherman Minton are not particularly old, having been opened, as you note, in 1961 and 1962. The goal of the current renewal project is the extend the life of the bridge another 30 years. That means it should remain a viable structure to at least 2050, if not several years more.

The age of a bridge doesn't always determine its obsolescence. The Brooklyn Bridge, for example, is 140 years old. In Evansville, downriver from the Sherman Minton, the northbound span of the Twin Bridges is 91 years old. And that's the bridge they want to keep instead of the newer southbound span, which opened in 1965.

[ilpt4u]

Thread bump!

As noted in the Indiana Notes thread...

Well that bridge is closed now.

[JMoses24]

Thread bump!

As noted in the Indiana Notes thread...

Well that bridge is closed now.

Worse, this happens as the Clark Memorial Bridge -- the only other free crossing between Indiana and Louisville -- has one lane closed indefinitely southbound after a truck crash last week.

[NWI_Irish96]

Thread bump!

As noted in the Indiana Notes thread...

Well that bridge is closed now.

Worse, this happens as the Clark Memorial Bridge -- the only other free crossing between Indiana and Louisville -- has one lane closed indefinitely southbound after a truck crash last week.

They should suspend tolling on I-65 until at least one of the free bridges is fully open.

[ITB]

Here's the official INDOT update on the bridge closure, released earlier today. As noted in the update, prior to a section deck pour on the upper deck, it was discovered that a lateral beam (or beams) was out of alignment. I assume the inspections now underway are to determine why this issue occurred. This is fairly serious as a fixed steel beam just doesn't shift or deform on its own. They'll be looking at joints, other beams, all and everything. It may or may not be a simple fix.

[silverback1065]

as much as this bridge is closed or nearly closed for repairs, perhaps they should just build a new bridge...