The Eggner's Ferry Bridge, which carries U.S. Route 68 and Kentucky State Route 80 over Kentucky Lake between Trigg and Marshall counties was hit by a barge at 8:10 PM CST. The span, which opened to traffic in 1932 and was raised in 1943 to allow for the completion of the Kentucky Lake project, was slated for replacement.
Initial reports indicated that navigational lights may have been broken on the span, which were scheduled for repair tomorrow. The Coast Guard had notified barge companies of the issue.
No vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the collapse and that there were no injuries among the 20 crew members that were aboard the boat.
More information, including suggested detour routes via the blog: http://bridgestunnels.com/bridges/kentucky/eggners-ferry-bridge/
Full article on the bridge, which includes bridge replacement plans: http://bridgestunnels.com/bridges/kentucky/eggners-ferry-bridge/
Thanks for the heads up. I've gone into OSM and immediately marked that section of highway as "access=no" so when the routers update, they will not direct people in that direction.
Quote from: rickmastfan67 on January 26, 2012, 11:58:24 PM
Thanks for the heads up. I've gone into OSM and immediately marked that section of highway as "access=no" so when the routers update, they will not direct people in that direction.
And if someone's planning a future trip, they'll be routed around a closure that may no longer exist. (Actually this one is "indefinite" so it makes sense to mark it as closed, but in general I think it's silly to mark short-term closures.)
Will mark as closed via Google Maps Editor. If someone else is on there, please approve of the edit.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-01-27/kentucky-bridge-collapse/52813592/1
http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/local/Eggner-Ferry-Bridge-collapses-after-barge-strike-138171574.html
http://www.newschannel5.com/story/16612822/barge-strikes-eggners-ferry-bridge-causes-partial-collapse
It appears a cargo ship hit the Eggner's Ferry Bridge (US 68/KY 80 crossing of Kentucky Lake/Tennessee River) overnight and caused 200ft of it to collapse.
The USA Today article suggests that the bridge was already in the process of being replaced (it was built in 1932). Wonder if this will accelerate that process.
This is pretty chilling; glad no one got hurt or killed:
QuoteRobert Parker, 51, of Cadiz, Ky., said he and his wife were traveling northbound on the highway after leaving his stepson's house in Murray, Ky. They were driving in the rain along the darkened bridge around 8 p.m. when they suddenly noticed a missing 20-foot piece of the bridge, which at that section stands at least 20 feet above the water.
"All of a sudden I see the road's gone and I hit the brakes," he said. "It got close."
Parker said he stopped his pickup within five feet of the missing section. Two cars behind him stopped on his bumper and he saw another car on the other side of the missing section stopped.
Quote from: NE2 on January 27, 2012, 12:30:35 AM
Quote from: rickmastfan67 on January 26, 2012, 11:58:24 PM
Thanks for the heads up. I've gone into OSM and immediately marked that section of highway as "access=no" so when the routers update, they will not direct people in that direction.
And if someone's planning a future trip, they'll be routed around a closure that may no longer exist. (Actually this one is "indefinite" so it makes sense to mark it as closed, but in general I think it's silly to mark short-term closures.)
I don't disagree with you there NE2 about marking roads as closed. I only do it if it's local (unless it's something major like an Interstate or a bridge collapse) and I know it will be closed for 1+ months and I can keep track of it's progress on when it's going to be re-opened via the news or by driving by it every few days.
KYTC secretary and new lieutenant governor are holding a press briefing as I type (12:15 EST) on the matter. The replacement was in the design phase. Not sure if they will try to repair the old bridge or speed up the replacement. I would think that no matter the case, the carrier's insurance company will be paying a pretty sizeable chunk of the bill.
My initial thought was the carrier had hit a pier, but apparently that was not the case at all. The vessel was too tall. Don't ship captains know how tall their vessels are and the clearances of the bridges along their route?
Quote from: hbelkins on January 27, 2012, 12:21:39 PM
My initial thought was the carrier had hit a pier, but apparently that was not the case at all. The vessel was too tall. Don't ship captains know how tall their vessels are and the clearances of the bridges along their route?
the ship is capable of varying its draft (how high it sits in the water), so maybe it was a matter of the captain not realizing in time that he had to first raise the ship to navigate a shallows, and then immediately lower it for the bridge.
apparently, the bridge's lights were not fully functional as well - but, then again, in this age of GPS, there should be no reason for the ship's captain to not know exactly when it was coming up.
well, this is why we have professional investigators.
There's a news story out now that the ship was in the recreational vessel channel of the lake and not the correct channel for a vessel of its size. That would explain it. You can tell by looking at the photos that the ship would have cleared the center spans of the bridge.
http://www.wlap.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=393284&article=9674460
I crossed the bridge on a road trip with Billy Riddle in December 2010. I can't even imagine what went through the minds of the drivers of the vehicles that came across the missing piece.
I have some photos of the bridge on that trip starting here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamontheroad/5243457731/in/photostream/
Sherman, if you want to use them on your site, send me a line and I can send you the originals.
Lots of news coverage and photos on WPSD-TV in Paducah.
http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/
There's a photo gallery there.
Also, Gov. Beshear has a few photos on his Flickr site.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/govbeshear/sets/72157629055622245/
To add insult to injury, when the bridge went down it took out a major cable and as a result, the KYTC District 1 office lost its Internet connectivity.
I have a video of this bridge and its near-twin that carries the highway across Lake Barkley (Cumberland River) to the east, as well as the construction project to four-lane US 68/KY through LBL that was ongoing at the time.
http://www.millenniumhwy.net/videos/US-68_KY-80_LBL.mp4
Well here is another site that covers historic bridges in USA:
http://www.bridgehunter.com/ky/marshall/eggners-ferry/
Quote from: hbelkins on January 27, 2012, 12:21:39 PM
KYTC secretary and new lieutenant governor are holding a press briefing as I type (12:15 EST) on the matter. The replacement was in the design phase. Not sure if they will try to repair the old bridge or speed up the replacement. I would think that no matter the case, the carrier's insurance company will be paying a pretty sizeable chunk of the bill.
In the design phase already? Then it's a slam dunk for replacement. They'll have to schedule the controlled demolition, but you can turn this into a design-build and start constructing piers right away. By the time the structural details are finalized, you'll have built up the entire substructure and can just drop the bridge onto it.
Could be a perfect place for a Madison bridge all over again.
Quote from: Upside down frog in a triangle on January 27, 2012, 11:56:19 PM
In the design phase already? Then it's a slam dunk for replacement. They'll have to schedule the controlled demolition, but you can turn this into a design-build and start constructing piers right away. By the time the structural details are finalized, you'll have built up the entire substructure and can just drop the bridge onto it.
They have selected a "basket handle" type of bridge and it will look similar to the new Lake Champlain bridge on US 2.
Approval from the legislature would be required for a design-build. Thankfully the legislature is in session right now in case they decide to go that route.
There may be some structural damage to one of the piers, according to the below press release:
Dive team to place sensors on pier of damaged Kentucky Lake bridge
Impact from ramming by cargo vessel may have caused pier to shift
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 28, 2012) — A dive team from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) plans to place sensors on a pier of the U.S. 68/KY 80 bridge over Kentucky Lake to help determine how badly it was damaged when a cargo vessel rammed the bridge Thursday night.
The crash involving the vessel Delta Mariner knocked out a 322-foot span of the venerable bridge between Marshall County and Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Western Kentucky. The combined-route highway, which runs east-west, is now closed indefinitely.
At issue is the bridge pier at the eastern edge of the impact area. "We have to know for certain whether the pier has been shifted, and if so, whether it is still moving," Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said Saturday. "That will have a huge influence on our decisions as we weigh the options for restoring traffic on U.S. 68 and KY 80."
Since the crash, KYTC inspectors have been conducting an emergency examination of the bridge's piers and remaining truss spans. Those extending west of the impact area were deemed to be stable, but inspectors on Friday found indications that the pier on the eastern edge of the impact area had been pulled out of position.
Next week, conditions permitting, a dive team will begin placing sensors on the bottom of the pier. The sensors measure degree of tilt and can detect changes if the pier is moving. Secretary Hancock said it will take a few weeks to collect and analyze the data.
The two-lane bridge — formally the Eggners Ferry Bridge — opened to traffic in 1932. Its elevation was raised in 1943 when the Tennessee River was impounded to create Kentucky Lake. A KYTC traffic count conducted in 2009 showed 2,650 vehicles per day crossed the bridge.
The Transportation Cabinet is in the process of replacing the bridge, along with the nearby bridge over Lake Barkley on the eastern side of Land Between the Lakes. Preconstruction work, including geotechnical drilling, began months ago. Gov. Steve Beshear's recommended highway plan, which he sent to the General Assembly on Jan. 17, contains $165 million in construction funding for a new Kentucky Lake bridge from 2013 through 2015.
With closure of the bridge, KYTC has posted signs to detour traffic onto Interstate 24, which circles north of Land Between the Lakes. Motorists also can get around Land Between the Lakes via U.S. 62 on the northern end and KY 121 — becoming Tennessee 119 — on the south.
###
I just clinched that road segment (WB and then EB) to clinch a county last spring.
Word from Sherman is that the east side closure is at the Trace and the west side closure is right at the bridge approach, but that right now the bridge is being watched so you shouldn't head onto it. Trying to learn more - I'd like to be able to approach from the east and get up to the base for photos.
QuoteThey have selected a "basket handle" type of bridge and it will look similar to the new Lake Champlain bridge on US 2.
Are you referring to the bridge that was just finished a couple months ago? Because that one was on NY 185/VT 17.
I may have gotten my bridges mixed up. It was this one:
http://champlainbridgecommunity.org/
The 3,495-foot Eggner's Ferry Bridge (http://bridgestunnels.com/bridges/kentucky/eggners-ferry-bridge/), designated as U.S. Route 68 and Kentucky State Route 80, opened to traffic on March 25, 1932 and was raised in 1943 as part of the Kentucky Lake project. On January 26, 2012, at 8:10 PM CST, a 322-foot section of the bridge collapsed after being struck by a tow-boat barge.
A dive team from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plan on installing sensors on a damaged pier of the bridge that will detect the degree of tilt and can detect movement. While emergency inspections found the western half of the span to be in stable condition, the a pier on the eastern span was moved out of position.
There are more questions now than ever on the future of the out-of-commission span. As Eggner's Ferry Bridge was slated for replacement with a tied-arch bridge design, is it feasible to complete repairs to the pier and install a new superstructure if it is expected that it will be demolished shortly after? How seriously will the bridge, which is indefinitely closed, affect local businesses? What role did the navigation lights on the bridge have in the incident?
On Saturday and Sunday, I traveled to western Kentucky to photograph the span.
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Further Reading
a. Eggner's Ferry Bridge in Photographs: http://bridgestunnels.com/2012/01/30/eggners-ferry-bridge-in-photographs/
b. Bridge Collapses in Kentucky: http://bridgestunnels.com/2012/01/27/bridge-collapses-in-kentucky/
c. Eggner's Ferry Bridge (US 62/KY 80), with replacement span images: http://bridgestunnels.com/bridges/kentucky/eggners-ferry-bridge/
If you are a Mariner even if every Navigation light is out you are supposed to be able to safely navigate. You can use radar to triangulate your position. You can yes use GPS. You should have electronic charts up and also a paper copy in case you lose your GPS. Also a ship like this should be using a local pilot who is familar with the local waters. You don't have too but it is highly recommended by the Coast Guard.
Does anyone know when the ship is going to be moved? Any chance it'll still be there through the weekend?
I haven't heard. Last I heard they were still trying to figure out how to get the bridge wreckage off the ship.
In other news, they had to postpone the dive until at least tomorrow, I guess due to currents in the lake. We had quite a bit of rain and the Kentucky River is running fast and high, so I'd guess the Tennessee probably is too.
Hoping the road/ship will stay there till this weekend, then I'll make my mad dash. If it comes off by Friday, I'll have to postpone.
If I hear anything, I'll let you know.
^ We have had a ton of rain here in northern Alabama the past few weeks, so all of that water is headed that way if it isn't there already.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6YebFGeluA
^ Nice!
Cool video, 5 stars out of 5. :clap:
http://tinyurl.com/76pestf (redirects to Murray Ledger & Times story)
They're talking about getting a ferry service going, and possibly building a temporary span (with temporary piers) to fill the gap in the current bridge.
Awesome video there! 5 of 5 stars.
BTW HB, I fixed the "direct" link in your post. If it was clicked, it wouldn't lead to the video and YouTube said it was malformed. ;)
Someone had lots of fun with Photoshop I guess. :)
Quote from: rickmastfan67 on February 17, 2012, 06:20:46 AM
Awesome video there! 5 of 5 stars.
BTW HB, I fixed the "direct" link in your post. If it was clicked, it wouldn't lead to the video and YouTube said it was malformed. ;)
Not sure what the problem was with that. That was the link that the YouTube page itself provided.
http://migration.kentucky.gov/newsroom/governor/20120224eggnersexecorder.htm
A state of emergency has been declared that hopefully can grease the skids for FHWA funding for repairs.
A ferry is probably out of the question as a temporary option, due to environmental concerns, paperwork and bureaucracy nightmares on the LBL side, and impacts to the boat ramp at the state park on the western shore.
If anyone wonders what happened to the ship: www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1202/23mariner/
^^^
Apparently, they blame the bridge...
QuoteAlthough the crash remains under investigation, lights on the bridge apparently weren't working the night of the incident and the ship tried to pass under one of the lower, outer spans instead of the higher, center lane.
Big news about the bridge:
Gov. Beshear announces repair of Eggners Ferry Bridge by Memorial Day
Expedited procurement to save tourism season in Lakes region;
Same contractor repaired I-64 Sherman Minton Bridge in Louisville
FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 8, 2012) — Gov. Steve Beshear today announced the award of an emergency contract to repair and reopen the damaged Eggners Ferry Bridge over Kentucky Lake by Memorial Day weekend — saving the crucial summer tourism season for the region around Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.
The contract, with a low bid of $7 million, was awarded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to Hall Contracting of Kentucky Inc. — the company that last month completed repairs ahead of schedule to reopen the Interstate-64 Sherman Minton Bridge in Louisville.
The Eggners Ferry Bridge, which carries U.S. 68 and KY 80 across Kentucky Lake between Marshall and Trigg counties in western Kentucky, has been closed since the night of Jan. 26, when a cargo vessel struck and tore away a 322-foot-long span of the 80-year-old bridge.
"Since the night the bridge was struck and the highway was severed, we have worked with one thought in mind — to get this bridge repaired and Route 68/80 reopened as quickly as possible," Gov. Beshear said. "We have never lost sight of the damage that the loss of this bridge is doing to area businesses and the toll it has taken, in time and fuel costs, on folks who have been forced into long detours to get from one side of the lakes to the other."
To save valuable time, and shave several months off the project, KYTC opted to make an emergency solicitation rather than go through its customary construction procurement process, in which a project is designed and put out for bids. The cabinet instead invited a select group of prequalified bridge contractors to submit bids by 2 p.m. EST on Wednesday, March 7.
Contractors were given access to original design plans and recent inspection reports for the bridge. Each contractor was instructed to submit a lump-sum price that included all costs for engineering, materials, labor and equipment needed for repairing the bridge's pier caps, replacing the truss span and reopening the bridge. The critical requirement is to reopen the bridge to traffic by Sunday, May 27. The contract includes a penalty of $50,000 per day for missing that deadline.
Two other companies besides Hall Contracting submitted proposals:
· Walsh Contracting, of Crown Point, Ind. — $11.2 million
· C.J. Mahan, of Grove City, Ohio — $11.4 million
The project requires a new asphalt or concrete deck 20 feet wide, comporting with dimensions of the rest of the existing bridge, and a railing system at least as strong as the existing rails. In addition, the truss must be given one primer coat of paint that closely resembles the color of adjacent spans.
KYTC gave serious consideration to adding a ferry service to the area to accommodate traffic, but ultimately chose not to implement it. The bridge carried nearly 2,700 cars per day, and at best, a ferry could carry only 40 cars per hour. This would create an unreasonable bottleneck. Second, a ferry service would likely demand the construction of access roads, as well as possible dredging of the lake to allow the ferry's safe passage. By the time those accommodations were finished, the bridge would be likely close to completion.
The Eggners Ferry Bridge is obsolete, as is a similarly aged and sized bridge over nearby Lake Barkley. Both are being replaced with four-lane bridges in a project that is still in preconstruction phase. The recommended highway plan that Gov. Beshear sent to the General Assembly on Jan. 17 provides $330 million in construction funding for the two bridges combined.
###
interesting how two of the bids were right next to each other, and the third was significantly lower. what does Hall know that the other two don't know?
is there a bonus for early completion? I know when the support at the MacArthur Maze in the east bay (I-580 to I-80 ramp, IIRC) burned, the contractors finished the job several days early and were paid handsomely extra for it.
As far as I know, no bonus (unlike the Sherman Minton Bridge). I'm told that KYTC folks in the western part of the state argued for an early completion bonus but were unsuccessful.
I wondered by curiosity if there some plans and/or artists renderings to see how the future bridge to replace the old one will look somewhere on the www?
I haven't seen anything. I'm sure it will be ugly as a Clearview interstate shield since it's just a temporary fix.
Well, they say similar. I think I'll put this off till a little after Memorial Day and let the bridge reopen, that way I can come get all the photos I want.
I honestly don't know how they expect to erect those sections with trusses in 2 1/2 months. I was told they might have to erect some temporary piers for the missing section.
After the bridge opens, I'm going to try to go down there myself. Might even end up scouting for a meet.
trusses can be built off-site and floated into place - that is what some of the bridges (especially railroad) were built back in the day. The railroad companies still do this to an extent.
Quote from: kharvey10 on March 09, 2012, 02:02:19 PM
trusses can be built off-site and floated into place - that is what some of the bridges (especially railroad) were built back in the day. The railroad companies still do this to an extent.
The Milton Madison bridge is being replaced in just this manner....
Looks like they are fabricating the trusses on site!
Actually, they are doing it off-site and are going to take them by barge to the bridge. A press release went out on it this afternoon. I will have to find it and post the gist of it.
The bridge is going to open tomorrow.
From 9 a.m. to noon CDT tomorrow, there will be a "Bridge Day" event where people will be allowed to walk or bike across the bridge. After a short ceremony at noon, the bridge will open to vehicular traffic around 1 p.m.
Sorry for the short notice, but this was just announced this afternoon. Not quite enough time for anyone interested to load up and head to western Kentucky.
I'll be heading down in June or July. Theoretically, I'd like to buy enough daylight to swing up to Evansville...
Kentucky Sues Crew of Ship That Collapsed Bridge (http://www.nbcnews.com/#/news/us-news/kentucky-sues-crew-ship-collapsed-bridge-n46596)
I dust-off this thread, I spotted some webcams showing the construction of Eggner's Ferry bridge successor.
https://www.explorekentuckylake.com/eggners-ferry-bridge-live-cam.htm
Quote from: Stephane Dumas on August 10, 2015, 07:02:22 PM
I dust-off this thread, I spotted some webcams showing the construction of Eggner's Ferry bridge successor.
https://www.explorekentuckylake.com/eggners-ferry-bridge-live-cam.htm
That's pretty nifty. I love how you can see the future arch already on the lake.