Why are both of Owensboro’s bridges crossing the Ohio River under construction at the same time? It’s a question many local drivers have been asking. Deneatra Henderson with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet offered an explanation Tuesday on why neither project could be pushed any further.
Henderson, who serves as chief engineer for KYTC’s District 2, addressed concerns about the simultaneous work on the Owensboro Bridge and the William H. Natcher Bridge during a joint session of the Owensboro-Daviess County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Technical Advisory and Policy Committees on Tuesday.
Henderson later spoke with the Owensboro Times to further clarify the overlapping schedules and why neither project was delayed.
“We reviewed the traffic counts on both structures and had a good idea that the Natcher, even at one lane, could handle the additional traffic,” Henderson said. “But we had a contingency plan in case the additional traffic from the Blue Bridge closure was too much. We were prepared to open both lanes on the Natcher again during the Blue Bridge closure, but so far we’ve not had to do that.”
Some residents have voiced frustration on social media about the timing of both projects, which Henderson acknowledged. However, she said that not all drivers who use the Owensboro Bridge are traveling east, adding that those heading west aren’t a burden on the traffic flow over the Natcher.
As for why both projects are happening at once, Henderson said it wasn’t originally planned that way. The Owensboro Bridge deck repairs were initially intended to begin earlier this year, but bid pricing and other delays pushed the work into the summer. Crews officially began nighttime work on July 14, and the bridge was closed to all traffic starting July 21. Work is expected to wrap up in mid-October, weather permitting.
Meanwhile, the cable maintenance on the Natcher Bridge began in late March and involves specialized repairs to the stay cables. Lane shifts and width restrictions have been in place since then, and while the bridge has remained open to traffic, only one lane has been available in each direction at times.
“It’s a cable that is wound with multiple strands, each with its own coating,” Henderson said. “If that coating cracks, water can get in and start to erode the middle of the cable. We don’t want that to happen, so it’s important we maintain that coating.”
Henderson said the Cabinet opted not to delay either project any further, noting that there are very few contractors qualified to perform the cable repairs on the Natcher, and pushing the Owensboro Bridge work back again would have meant waiting another full construction season.
