The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will start replacing a bridge in southern Henderson County next week that will allow buses from Cairo Elementary School to resume using Kentucky 416 for their daily routes, helping area children get home safer and sooner.
KYTC said it plans a quick turnaround on the project. It plans to start work next Tuesday, April 9, and expects to have the old bridge — located on Kentucky 416 west of Robards between the 2.7 and 2.8 mile marks — removed and a new one installed in less than 10 days.
The bridge is located on Kentucky 416 between Thomason Road and W.N. Royster Road. There will be a marked detour in place for the duration of the project.
In recent years, following issues with several timber structure bridges across the state, KYTC said it partnered with a private bridge inspection firm to assure the safety of all bridges in Kentucky. Following the results of those inspections, the weight limit on this bridge was reduced.
While the bridge is still open and considered safe to use, the new restricted weight limit falls below what school buses are allowed to cross. As a result, buses were no longer able to use the bridge, forcing some children to travel longer distances to get to and from school.
Demolition of the bridge is scheduled to begin next Tuesday. Installation of a new prefabricated box culvert bridge will begin as soon as the site is cleared.
KYTC said more than 10,000 Contech Con/Span box culverts have been installed since 1983. Their prefabricated design allows for much quicker installation than traditional concrete bridges, which have to be poured and molded on site. Box culverts are designed and constructed offsite for a specific location, then assembled in place.
Contech is scheduled to deliver the bridge next Tuesday, with construction to begin as soon as that afternoon. The roadway is scheduled to be fully reopened by April 19.
The project will cost approximately $125,000.
