Across Kentucky
To celebrate the coming of winter, there are many new updates to Bridges & Tunnels, including the histories of several notable crossings and many historical photographs!
The first update revolves around the aptly named 1900 Bridge which crossed the Kentucky River between Carrollton and Prestonville. This span was replaced in 1952. Elsewhere, the Shortway Bridge once connected Newport and Covington together across the Licking River. Constructed in 1892, it was replaced in 2001 although the old bridge still stands.
A full text history was written and numerous photographs were added regarding the Caroll C. Cropper Bridge, which carries Interstate 275 between Petersburg, Kentucky and Lawrenceburg, Indiana and is the westernmost Ohio River crossing in the Cincinnati metropolitian region. Originally envisioned as a tolled facility in the 1950s, construction began in 1968 and was completed in 1974 after several years of delays. The bridge would not open to traffic until December 1977, however, as Indiana had not completed their Interstate 275 section, linking the crossing to Ohio.
Along with that, a text and photographs were added regarding the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, which carries Interstate 471 between Newport, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio. Right-of-way acquisition for the bridge began in 1968 with construction beginning in 1971. It was completed and opened to limited traffic in 1976 as Interstate 471 was still not yet complete in Kentucky. Named after the founder of the Boy Scouts of America, it is better known today as the 'Big Mac' bridge for its golden yellow arches that resemble those of McDonald's.
Another large bridge project was the Brent Spence Bridge that connects Covington, Kentucky to Cincinnati, Ohio, and carries Interstates 71 and 75 across the Ohio River. This double decked cantaliver span opened in 1963 and was rehabilitated in 1986. The span, which has no shoulders, carries more traffic than it was designed for and is functionally obsolete, is slated to be replaced. Discussions began in the mid-1990s although no formal decision has yet been announced.
The Taylor-Southgate Bridge carries U.S. Route 27 between Covington, Kentucky and Cincnnati, Ohio and was first proposed in the mid-1980s. Funding issues and design squabbles curtailed the project until 1996, when construction started.
Additional photographs and text were added to the historic Camp Nelson Bridge in Kentucky that once carried U.S. Route 27. First constructed as one of the largest covered bridges in the world, it was replaced with a truss span and later by a looming interstate-quality span. Additional photographs of the construction and reconstruction process regarding High Bridge in Kentucky were added. Once slated to be constructed as a suspension bridge by John Roebling, it was constructed instead as a truss span. It was reconstructed in the late-1920s while train service remained uninterrupted.
Ironton-Russell and High bridges
Constructed as the first highway bridge between Parkersburg, West Virginia and Cincinnati, Ohio, the Ironton-Russell Bridge is slated for replacement. It's graceful light-blue cantilever span is one of the most photogenic, peaking over the Ohio River mid-span and providing enough vertical clearance for the steam boats that once dominated the river. It's form closely accentuated the cities of Ironton, Ohio and Russell, Kentucky, which it connected both together, and helped foster the economic vitality between the two. Over it 70-plus years, it has endured three owners and a multitude of rehabilitation and repair projects. The once graceful bridge now closes in sub-zero weather, and has numerous stress gauges and retrofits thast aim to keep the bridge serviceable until a replacement can be constructed.
Elsewhere, a historical perspective has been added, along with several photographs, of Young's High Bridge in Tyrone, Kentucky. This currently abandoned span over the Kentucky River dates back to the late 1800s and was never strengthened or modified during its near 100-year tenure. It has the potential to be restored into a rail trail or used for excursion trains -- which already exist east of the bridge near Versailles. Only funding will enable the renovation of this Victorian-esque design.
And, to sum up recent updates, Bridges and Tunnels have covered: Tennessee's Harrisburg Covered Bridge; a relatively rare Tennessee Gas Pipeline Bridge; the former Clays Ferry Bridge and its modern replacement that carries Interstate 75, US 25, and US 421; and High Bridge, which is still in use and holds a rare and unique distinction.
New River Gorge Bridge
Once the largest arch span in the world, the New River Gorge Bridge spans the breathtaking New River in wild, wonderful West Virginia. It is still the largest in the Western Hemisphere, completed in 1977 at a cost of $33,984,000. It made a trip across the 1,000-ft. deep valley far less dangerous and reducing the time needed to get from one side to the other from 45 minutes to a mere minute. Today, the bridge hosts US 19, a major corridor route that connects Interstate 79 near Sutton to Interstates 64 and 77, along with the West Virginia Turnpike, in Beckley. It is also host to Bridge Day, where BASE jumpers test their skill and their luck by jumping from the bridge down into the valley in Bridge Day High Line, and the Down Under Tour, where those unafraid of heights can see the under workings of the arch span. See more about this graceful crossing at the New River Gorge Bridge page!