Livingston County bridge project wins transportation award
LIVINGSTON COUNTY, Ky. (KBSI) – A Livingston County bridge project to replace a 1930s structure with a safer, more efficient bridge for vehicle and waterway traffic earned a prestigious transportation award.
The U.S. Highway 60 Smithland Bridge project won the America’s Transportation Awards’ “Best Use of IT and Innovation” category in a regional competition among other Midwestern departments of transportation.
The project was executed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. It required innovative problem solving to replace the outdated bridge that spans the Cumberland River without creating lengthy detours or negative impacts to landowners during construction while having minimal impacts to river barge traffic.
The 700-foot-long bridge truss was built at the Paducah Riverport then floated down the river on a barge over the course of several days. It involved Jim Smith Contracting, American Bridge, the U.S. Coast Guard and numerous agencies.
This eliminated the need for disruptions to river traffic caused by crane barges during construction.
“This striking blue bridge is more than a beautiful bridge, it’s a symbol of innovation and collaboration to give Kentuckians quality transportation to improve their daily lives,” said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. “Drivers now enjoy a stress-free crossing without worrying about clipped mirrors, farmers have a wider bridge to haul heavy equipment, and waterway traffic has a safer passageway. Congratulations to the Transportation Cabinet and all involved in making this happen.”
The U.S. 60 Smithland Bridge was built in 1931.
Beneath the bridge, the river bends made barge passage between piers challenging against the current. Ninety years of wear and weather rendered the bridge structurally deficient, requiring a 17-ton posting, further restricting the bridge’s use by large trucks.
Engineers developed a solution to replace the bridge with a new structure that meets current standards with wider lanes, added shoulders, and redesigned the placement of piers to be out of the water, eliminating hazards for barges battling the current.
The Cumberland River splits the county. The bridge is the only direct link for local commuters, commerce, school buses and emergency responders.
“This bridge is not just a steel connection; it’s the community’s heartbeat, enabling economic growth, social opportunities, emergency response and vital agricultural activities,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “I’m proud of the ingenuity and coordination undertaken by our team and contracted partners to deliver an iconic bridge that meets the needs of travelers for decades to come and makes the community proud.”
KYTC coordinated with the U. S. Coast Guard along with the local commercial navigation industry to ensure the pier locations would provide greater mobility along with protecting the bridge from barge impacts. The Livingston County Judge/Executive solicited input from the public to choose the bridge color.
The America’s Transportation Awards competition recognizes state transportation agencies and highlights the projects they deliver to make their communities better places to live, work and play. All nominated projects first compete on a regional level against other projects of like size. It is sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Twelve projects will be selected to compete for a national grand prize selected by an independent panel of industry judges and a People’s Choice Award chosen by the general public through online voting.
In May 2023, Gov. Beshear joined local officials to cut the ribbon on the new $63.8 million bridge and to recognize it as the Jim. R. Smith Memorial Bridge. In November 2023, the former bridge was demolished.
Related stories:
Crews work on 2nd concrete pour on main span of new U.S. 60 Cumberland River “Smithland” Bridge
Truss flotilla departed new U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland
