Agencies assess bluff near old Ledbetter Bridge

SUBMITTED PHOTO

In this photo on April 30 you can see how the bridge has dropped
2 feet on the McCracken County end of the bridge in a 24 hour period.
Kentucky Transporation Cabinet officlals are trying to figure out why.
The bridge has been closed to traffic for less than a year

What started as a drop in two approach spans at the west end of the Old Ledbetter Bridge over the Tennessee River has turned into a multi-agency response to land slippage along a bluff on the McCracken County side of the river.

Inspectors went to the bridge this morning expecting to find that rockers at the top of the approach span piers had collapsed.  Concern about the rockers prompted a 3-ton load limit being placed on the bridge for more than a year before it closed to vehicle traffic in July 2013. An inspection of the incident found land along the bluff at the base of the approach piers had moved downhill several feet causing  the two approach spans to drop about 3 to 4 feet. where they join.

Through the day the investigation has expanded. At this time, McCracken County Emergency Management is taking the lead in monitoring the land slippage.

According to McCracken County Emergency Management Director Jerome Mansfield, no evacuation of homes along the bluff has been ordered. However, this afternoon McCracken County Sheriff’s Deputies went door to door in the area to make nearby residents aware of the land slip.

“Residents along the bluff should be diligent and report any unusual sounds, land movement, or cracks in the soil and report those immediately so prompt action can be taken,” Mansfield said.  “Anyone who sees anything unusual should report it to the local 911 call center immediately.”

While vehicular traffic was moved off the Old Ledbetter Bridge last July when the New Ledbetter Bridge opened to traffic, the threat to the stability of the old structure became of concern to river traffic. As a precaution, the U.S. Coast Guard temporarily closed the Tennessee River to boat traffic.  That halt in barge traffic is being lifted by the Coast Guard with an advisory that boats should avoid stopping between Tennessee River mile-point 5.1 and 5.5.  Mariners should review the official Coast Guard Advisory.

At this time, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet geotechnical specialists and engineers are looking at the land slippage. KyTC officials are also looking at ways to expedite demolition of the old bridge.

Among others, Mansfield has requested the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Kentucky Geological Survey to send personnel to the site to assess conditions along the bluff.

“We’ve asked the state Division of Emergency management  to come on site to provide additional input,” Mansfield said.

He also noted that with the recent landslide in Washington State, and the sinkhole that developed under the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Greenofficials want to get a good grasp of the situation.

McCracken County Emergency Management Agency has set up a command post and will have personnel monitoring the area through the night and for the next few days.