Simon Kenton Bridge repairs will ensure future of historic span

The Ledger Independent

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s proposed work to prolong the life of the historic Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge (US 62) in Maysville, remains a priority, officials with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reported last week.

Repairs are expected to take place in 2023, according to information from KYTC.

The two area bridges that span the Ohio River were among bridge projects included in Governor Beshear’s proposed budget with $8 million to address cabling and other deficiencies in the William Harsha Bridge and $23.4 million designated to rehabilitate the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge which connects downtown Maysville to its Ohio neighbors.

Improvements to the Simon Kenton Bridge include suspender cable replacements, steel repairs, and painting, KYTC spokesperson Allen Blair said.

The proposal for the bridge is part of the commonwealth’s five-year road plan now under consideration by the lawmakers, Blair said.

Issues with the Simon Kenton Bridge first came to light in fall 2018.

The 1930s-era bridge, which carries U.S. 62 across the Ohio River between Maysville and Aberdeen, Ohio, closed when inspectors found extensive corrosion damage to several suspender cables – the vertical cables extending from the main suspension cable that support the bridge’s driving surface.

In November 2019, the cabinet awarded a $254,535 repair contract.

The bridge was then closed to safeguard it from further damage – and protect the traveling public – after subsequent inspections found that the conditions of cables had worsened at several locations.

In April 2020, contractors finished the bulk of a safety repair project that included the installation of temporary support rods and brackets to reduce the stress on 19 damaged cables. Afterward, inspections determined the need for additional anti-corrosive coatings to steel cables and other components showing higher rates of corrosion than expected. After that work was completed, the bridge was reopened in June 2020.

Local and state officials met last spring to discuss the bridge’s future and how best to secure funding to preserve the historic span.

“These projects are necessary to ensure the safety of the bridge and make sure it continues to serve as an important link to state highways as well as an economic focal point for downtown Maysville, Mason County, and surrounding communities,” Blair said.

If the projects are finally approved, design is slated to begin in the 2023 fiscal year, which starts this fall. Construction would follow once the design is complete and funding is authorized, Blair said.

Cable replacements and painting will probably be broken into separate, consecutive projects as each requires specialized contractors.

“While it’s likely construction work would require temporary bridge closures, it’s too early in the design process to speculate on specifics. But, duration of the closures would be measured in months, not years; and the Transportation Cabinet would work closely with local officials to ease traffic impacts as much as possible,” Blair said.