Geotechnical Survey Work Scheduled to Continue in Late March
Drill Work Along I-64 and I-65 May Have Limited Traffic Impact
LOUISVILLE, KY – (March 21, 2006) – Geotechnical survey work initiated last
fall is resuming this week with crews scheduled to conduct drilling to allow project
engineers to obtain soil samples. The samples collected will provide data as teams
prepare for rebuilding of sections of the Kennedy Interchange, as part of the Ohio
River Bridges Project. The survey work will last approximately seven months and
is currently scheduled to be completed in the fall.
The work will take place along I-65 from East Liberty Street to the Kennedy Bridge
and along I-64 from the Payne Street overpass to the Clark Memorial Bridge. Some
drilling will take place at the Frankfort Avenue/Beargrass Creek section along I-71.
Timing of the work will usually coincide with decreased traffic volumes to minimize
inconveniences to road travelers. Some work may be conducted during peak traffic
hours due to the time-sensitive nature of the surveying process. Project managers
predict there will be shoulder closings to enable the crews to complete the work.
Project managers are taking measures to limit traffic delays, though most of the
work will take place away from the actual roadway, on ramp embankments and closer
to street level at city street overpasses.
The drilling process will enable project engineers to obtain soil samples for testing
to determine general engineering characteristics, such as soil classification and
moisture content. The testing will also be utilized for the design of bridge and
retaining wall foundations within the proposed improvements.
There will be approximately 300 borings, or holes, drilled during this phase. These
borings will be about six to eight inches in diameter. A few of the borings will
drill to the rock line, at depths up to 110 feet. Other borings will sample the
upper soil layers, within approximately 25 feet of the surface or more. Once data
is collected, the holes will be properly backfilled.
The firm Fuller, Mossbarger, Scott and May Engineers, Inc. will be conducting the
survey work with a number of large yellow and white drill rigs – which can be identified
on the roadside with vertically protracted drill mechanisms over the area of work.
Motorists will be alerted of the work by standard orange traffic cones, signage
and possibly crew personnel managing traffic, if necessary. Drivers are advised
to be prepared for changes in traffic patterns and to watch for road crews and machinery.
An archeological survey team will work in tandem with geotechnical crews to collect
archeological data to assess the possible existence of deeply buried archeological
sites within the project area. Archeology teams will work in the same area gathering
cultural materials which will then be bagged and submitted for cleaning, testing,
analysis, cataloging, and eventually photographing. On some occasions, the archeology
teams will operate independently of the drill crews. It is predicted that a small
sample of historic artifacts will be collected during the survey period. The results
will be documented in a detailed written report to be filed and reviewed as part
of the ongoing study of the area.
The Kennedy Interchange (Spaghetti Junction) Approach is part of the Louisville-Southern
Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project (LSIORBP). 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 project information, go to www.kyinbridges.com.