News Item #1660

From Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 2:

Expedited Construction Plan to Safely Complete U.S. 60 Bridge in Daviess County
Bridge scheduled to open before Christmas

MADISONVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 13, 2026) – The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has developed a revised construction plan focused on safely replacing the U.S. 60 bridge over Katie Meadows Slough at Stanley and reopening it to traffic as soon as possible. Under the new plan, KYTC anticipates the bridge will reopen by Christmas Eve 2026.

The revised approach will allow crews to construct the new bridge without fully excavating and removing an unexpected buried structure discovered earlier this summer. Instead, crews will remove only the portions of the old concrete structure necessary to safely install the support piers for the replacement bridge. This significantly reduced the excavation required and helped keep the project on track for completion before the end of the year.

The original plan called for replacing the bridge one side at a time, allowing traffic to continue crossing under temporary traffic signals. However, in June, crews discovered the remains of a much older bridge buried more than 20 feet below ground, bringing about a 90-day closure. As work progressed, it was discovered that the previously undocumented structure was far more extensive than anticipated, and fully removing it would have delayed the project until the summer of 2027. An additional previous structure was also found below that one during excavation.

Following this discovery, KYTC, the project contractor and an engineering consulting firm evaluated alternative approaches to address the unexpected conditions while prioritizing safety and minimizing delays. The revised plan provides a path forward that allows construction to continue without the extensive excavation and demolition that would have been required under the original approach. The excavation work has already been completed, and two crews are working to expedite construction.

With lower average daily temperatures in fall and winter, concrete takes longer to cure, meaning motorists may not see workers on site at all times. During each phase of construction, it's necessary to let the concrete cure before workers can advance to the next phase.

KYTC will continue working toward reopening the bridge before Christmas Eve, restoring this important section of the U.S. 60 corridor to traffic as soon as it can be done safely.