A bridge project in Livingston County has brought home a prestigious transportation award from the America’s Transportation Awards.
According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the U.S. Highway 60 Smithland Bridge won an award in the “Best Use of IT and Innovation” category in a regional competition among other midwestern departments of transportation. The project to replace the original structure built in the 1930s required innovative problem solving to replace the outdated bridge that spans the Cumberland River without creating lengthy detours or negative impacts to landowners during construction while having minimal impacts to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.
That resulted in the 700-foot-long bridge truss was being built at the Paducah Riverport then floated down the river on a barge over the course of several days.
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 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.