Subsurface testing set to begin for eastern Jefferson County bridge approach
Louisville, KY -- (Jan. 26, 2005) -- In coming years, motorists approaching the
bridge that will connect eastern Jefferson County, Kentucky, with eastern Clark
County, Indiana, will pass under U.S. 42 via a 2,000-foot tunnel. Initial subsurface
testing of the project area, set to begin this month, may have a lot to say about
how the tunnel is designed and will offer slope stability information for the overall
project.
“We’ll be doing core drilling and borings to determine the geological make-up of
the subsurface materials,” said Chuck Craycraft, who heads the Kentucky office of
H.W. Lochner, Inc., the engineering firm selected to oversee design of the Kentucky
approach to the East End Bridge. “While the alignment itself has been established,
testing may help us determine the final profile and elevation and expand on what
we already know about the project area.”
The engineering firm of Fuller, Mossbarger, Scott and May Engineers, Inc. (FMSM),
part of Lochner’s support team for the bridge approach area, will conduct subsurface
testing using a drill rig, which is operated from the back of a small truck. The
entire testing process should take about two months, ending in mid-March, though
Craycraft added that bad weather can slow this type of work.
Subsurface testing will take place along the proposed KY 841 right-of-way. Additional
drilling, and a pilot bore for the tunnel to obtain more detailed information, will
be required in the future as the project design develops.
The Louisville Water Company (LWC) is installing a water main in the area along
Spring Farm Road, and within The Landings subdivision to U.S. 42. This work is unrelated
to the geotechnical testing for the bridge approach.
The East End Approach is part of the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges
Project (LSIORBP). The project also consists of a new downtown span just east of
the Kennedy Bridge, and a rebuild of the Kennedy Interchange (Spaghetti Junction)
in downtown Louisville, along with the section in Indiana.
The Ohio River Bridges Project addresses the long-term, cross-river transportation
needs in the Louisville-Southern Indiana region. The Federal Highway Administration,
Indiana Department of Transportation and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet agreed
that the only feasible way to meet cross-river transportation needs was to construct
two new bridges and rebuild the Kennedy Interchange. Of a variety of options studied,
the alternative selected met transportation needs with the least amount of impact
on environmental resources and communities.
The Bridges Project, currently in the design phase, is tentatively scheduled for
completion in 2020.
For more information, residents or businesses can visit the LSIORBP Web site, at
www.kyinbridges.com; or contact Richard Cary-Brown, Community Transportation
Services, 502/394-3840,
; or Jerry Leslie, H.W. Lochner, Inc., 859/224-4476,
.