Kennedy Mills Bridge

The now-demolished circa 1924 Kennedy Mills Bridge carried KY Route 152 over the Dix River and Herrington Lake in Mercer County, Kentucky.

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The Kennedy Mills Bridge was constructed in 1924 because of the impoundment of the Dix River to form Lake Herrington. As early as the 1950s, there were calls to replace the one-lane crossing as it had a five-ton weight limit. ¹

Walsh Construction was selected as the general contractor for the 826-foot replacement crossing, which was scheduled for completion in November 2019. ³ The construction of the new bridge required unique engineering and construction methods because of the lake’s 200-foot depth. Piers were constructed above the water line on barges and incrementally lowered with strand jacks, eliminating the need for deep underwater construction. During construction, lake levels to some of its highest levels in history and shut down foundation operations for three months. During that time, crews shifted their focus to the installation of a gravity wall and the pre-assembly of deck panels, edge forms, and overhang jacks.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) planned to keep the circa 1924 Kennedy Mill Bridge open but structural issues necessitated its closure and removal in July 2018. ³

Following the flooding, Walsh and the KYTC to accelerate construction and deliver the bridge by the end of the year. ³ Steel Corten girders were first installed in September, and deck pours began in mid-November. The new crossing opened at the cost of $31.5 million on December 21, 2018, eleven months ahead of schedule.

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Details

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Sources

1. “Loaded School Bus Crosses Kennedy Bridge Daily.” Advocate-Messenger [Danville], 10 Mar. 1954.
2. Pendleton, Phil. “Demolition underway on Lake Herrington’s Kennedy Mill Bridge.” WKYT, 16 Jul. 2018.
3. “Walsh Construction completes the new Kennedy Mill Bridge 11 months ahead of schedule.” Walsh Construction, Dec. 2018.