Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says that a demolition contractor should have all explosives placed on the truss by noon today.
The public can view the demolition from Livingston County Fairgrounds.
Formally known as the Lucy Jefferson Lewis Memorial Bridge, the span that cross the Cumberland River was built 92 years ago and named for the sister of President of Thomas Jefferson, who had settled nearby in the early 1800s. The bridge is 1,817 feet long with a 500-foot main truss. When it first opened in 1931, a toll was paid at a rate of 25 cents for cars, trucks were 50 cents and livestock on the hoof was 5 cents a head.
A new bridge has been built beside of the old one and it has been open to traffic for several months.
Here is a timeline for the blast and associated demolition activities:
7:15 a.m. - Final coordinating meeting for Go-No Go Decision considering weather, etc.
7:45 a.m. - Coast Guard boat and other security vessels on station
8 a.m. - Cumberland River closed to all boat traffic for up to 36 hours
8:05 a.m. - Public viewing areas open at Livingston County Fairgrounds and at 770 Tiline Road (KY 70)
8:30 a.m. - New U.S 60 Cumberland River Bridge closes to all highway traffic
8:40 a.m. - 1500 ft. Blast Clear Zone security sweep
9 a.m. - Siren to precede 10 second countdown to blast that will take down main truss and two approach spans on each side
9:15 a.m. - Contractor and KYTC personnel start sweep deck of new bridge to remove blast debris
9:30 a.m. - Barge and crane move into position to remove old bridge truss from the river with ground-based crew starting additional demolition of approach spans
11 a.m. (Approximately) - New U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge reopens to highway traffic with traffic restricted to one lane alternating flow controlled by an automated signal through Friday
5 p.m. - Crane halts steel removal for the day
Friday
Cumberland River remains closed to all boat traffic until approximately 8 p.m.
Crane continues to remove steel from river at daylight
Coast Guard team runs sonar scan of river bed before restoring river traffic
The contractor has established a 1500 clear zone around the blast site. The public is asked to stay out of the clear zone to avoid delaying the detonation.
The U.S. Coast Guard has authorized the contractor to halt commercial tow boat and pleasure boat traffic for up to 36 hours on the Cumberland River to allow a barge-mounted crane to remove pieces of the steel truss from the river. Livingston County Emergency Management, Crittenden County Rescue Squad, Marshall County Emergency Management, and McCracken County Emergency Management will assist with security.
A Kentucky Environmental Cabinet DMRE unit will assist with seismic monitoring of the blast.
