The Hopewell Bridge in Eastern Kentucky, now part of KY Route 3306, spans the Little Sandy River in Hopewell, Kentucky. This bridge, originally constructed for the Eastern Kentucky Railway, historically facilitated rail transport over the river.
The Eastern Kentucky Railway (EK), once a 36-mile rail line, extended from Riverton (Greenup) to Webbville in Kentucky. Its segment between Grayson and Willard, encompassing the Little Sandy River crossing near Hopewell, was built in 1868 by the Phoenix Bridge Company, based in Pennsylvania.
Financial difficulties led to the EK’s bankruptcy in 1919. Subsequently, the stretch from Grayson to Webbville was restructured as the Eastern Kentucky Southern Railway (EKS) in 1928. However, this reorganized railway ceased operations in January 1933.
The railway’s former route from Hopewell to Hunnewell was later transformed into Kentucky Route 3306. This adaptation included repurposing the existing bridge over the Little Sandy River.
Details
- State: Kentucky
- Route: KY Route 3306
- Status: Active (Automobile)
- Type: Whipple Through Truss
- Total Length: 159'
- Main Span Length: 52'
- Spans: 0
- Deck Width: 12'
- Roadway Width: 0
- Height of Structure: 0
- Above Vertical Clearance: 20'
- Navigational Clearance: 0