State: KENTUCKY

Agency: KENTUCKY TRANSPORTATION CABINET - DISTRICT 4

Project and/or Route Name: BLUEGRASS PARKWAY OVER INTERSTATE 65

HARDIN COUNTY

Dates: 1979 - 1982

Rural and/or Urban: RURAL

Length: 400 FEET

Type of Improvement: BRIDGE REPLACEMENT

Firm's Project Manager: PAUL L. HENDRICK, P.E., ASSOCIATE FIRM PRINCIPAL

Firm's Project Engineer: CHARLES P. STREHL, P.E., PROJECT DESIGN ENGINEER

Project Description :

This project involved the widening of the median and the addition of two lanes to I-65 from Elizabethtown to Louisville. This section of I-65 was built as the Kentucky Turnpike in the early 50's and with traffic counts projected to be as high as 120,000 vehicles per day, upgrading was necessary. Johnson, Depp & Quisenberry's section extended from the Western Kentucky Parkway for eleven miles to just south of Rolling Fork River, including the Bluegrass Parkway Interchange. The existing twin bridges could not be salvaged and total replacement was necessary. New four span twin bridges were selected to satisfy all geometric requirements. The span lengths are 48.3', 116.9', 116.9' and 53.3'. The total deck width is 33'-3 1/2" for each bridge. Framing consists of 8 welded steel plate girders with a 64" constant depth web and a cast-in-place concrete deck. Composite construction was not in favor at the time and was not used. The two interior spans were continuous with the end spans acting as simple spans due to the high span ratio. Piers are founded on rock and end bents are supported on point bearing piles. The design was completed in 1980 and construction was finished in 1985. The estimated cost of the bridge is $1,150,000. The overall cost of our eleven mile section was $72,000,000.

The Consultant was responsible for:

1. Providing surveys.

2. All design and construction plans.

3. Specifications and cost estimates.

4. Geotechnical work.