Governor Steve Beshear announced Thursday the awarding of an emergency contract to repair and reopen the damaged Eggners Ferry Bridge over Kentucky Lake by Memorial Day weekend.
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.
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 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.
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.
Check the Wednesday, March 14, edition of The Cadiz Record for the full, updated story.
