Kentucky River, part of River View Park remain closed at bridge
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 13, 2024) – The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) today awarded a contract to remove the closed Broadway Bridge in Frankfort to safely reopen a section of the Kentucky River and River View Park that were closed last month as a precaution to protect boaters and park visitors.
A $10.7 million contract to Haydon Bridge Co., Inc., and C.J. Mahan Construction in a joint venture was awarded based on the urgency of addressing public safety issues.
Demolition of the aging bridge, which has been closed to vehicles and pedestrians since 1993, will take place with the goal to reopen the river by Nov. 4.
On Aug. 4, sidewalk and railing debris fell from the bridge, prompting Transportation Cabinet crews to immediately inspect the closed structure and work with the City of Frankfort and the U.S. Coast Guard on measures to protect public safety.
“With a contract now in place, we will work as quickly as possible to eliminate hazards so that the waterway and walking trail access can be safely and fully restored,” said Transportation Secretary Jim Gray.
At the cabinet’s request, the U.S. Coast Guard has established a temporary safety zone at Kentucky River mile markers 65.5 to 66, restricting all vessels from traveling under the structure. The Transportation Cabinet has also installed warning buoys.
The City of Frankfort has placed safety fencing and signs to block the walking trail and areas near the bridge at River View Park.
The demolition contract comes after KYTC rejected an initial bid that was significantly higher than estimates. Engineers identified ways to minimize the complex factors of demolition and reduce contractual risks then advertised again.
Preliminary demolition plans now call for removing the entire bridge without reusing any of the structure. Bridge spans near the city shoreline would be removed first to quickly reopen the river to boat traffic – it primarily serves recreational vessels and a few commercial tour boats – and restore park access later this year.
The contractor will have until Nov. 4 to remove Span 4 of the Broadway Bridge and open a Kentucky River channel. The deadline to remove Span 1 and reopen River View Trail is Dec. 31. Total contract completion date is Sept. 1, 2025.
In August, engineers had investigated short-term methods to alleviate safety concerns and reopen waterway traffic, such as adding nets or removing loose debris, but those were not safe or feasible options because of the bridge’s deteriorated condition.
