Bridge railings cause new concern for inspectors

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Reporter - Robert Bradfield
Photojournalist - Chad Bowlin

 

MARSHALL COUNTY, Ky. — As spectators continue to marvel over the wreckage caused by the Delta Mariner, state inspectors are focused on a portion of the bridge most people can't see.

 

 

"You could tell that something was a little different," said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Spokesman Keith Todd.

The pictures show two guardrails are off-kilter, slightly shifted from their original positions and it's caught the attention of Kentucky's Transportation Cabinet.

"That is a sign that perhaps there is some movement in the pier which they had determined the day before," he said.

Keith Todd said it's not an easy fix and his workers are deciding how to best approach the problem. "It would be much more extensive project, more time, more costly," Todd said.

Todd also said the proposal to bring in a temporary ferry wouldn't work because of the lake's width. He said trips would be slow and could cost the state thousands - even millions in additional funds. But there's one thing Todd is certain about - he's standing behind the integrity of the state's bridges even as inspectors begin to look over this latest hiccup.

"Our engineers are out there working everyday to make the roads they travel safer," Todd said.

State inspectors plan to install sensors on that portion of the bridge this week. That project will give them a better idea on exactly how much the bridge is moving.