Madisonville, Kentucky - (October 06, 2005) - The Shawneetown Bridge is expected to reopen to traffic next week as a contractor for the Kentucky
Transportation Cabinet's Department of Highways completes a year-long $4.1 million maintenance project on the structure.
Work on the bridge should be complete the week of October 10th. Engineers expect the bridge to reopen to full traffic by October 14th.
The lifting of traffic restrictions required during sand blasting and painting of the 50 year old bridge structure will also mark the closing of a temporary ferry that helped area farmers move their large farm equipment back and forth across the Ohio River.
The Shawneetown Bridge is an important transportation and economic link that connects KY 56 (Morganfield-Shawneetown Road) at the 0 mile marker with Illinois Route 13 across the Ohio River between Morganfield, Kentucky, and Shawneetown, Illinois. About 3200 vehicles cross the bridge each day.
According to Chief District Engineer Ted Merryman, the temporary ferry operation is a good example of cooperation at work.
"At the suggestion of area farmers, our engineers came up with a plan to get the operator of the Cave-In-Rock Ferry to bring his back-up equipment to Shawneetown to transport the farm equipment across the river through the summer. It would have been both expensive and time consuming to have the contractor shut down two days a week and move his equipment off the bridge to allow farm equipment to cross. With an innovative approach and the cooperation of area farmers, Larry Gaynor and T.C. Chambers gained a substantial savings for Kentucky taxpayers," Merryman said.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has spent only about $130,000 over seven months to operate the ferry three days a week.
Kentucky Department of Highways Resident Engineer Larry Gaynor says requiring the contractor to shut down two days a week would have delayed completion of the work into next year and caused problems for the farmers during another crop season.
Some two dozen farmers met with Gaynor and T.C. Chambers in March to try to work out some accommodation. Gaynor says he appreciated the level of cooperation offered by area farmers.
"We recognized that this was a matter of their livelihood. I think they appreciated that. We appreciated their willingness to make it all work," Gaynor said.
The temporary ferry officially started operation on April 13th. Union County Extension Agent Rankin Powell is also among those who get credit for helping make the ferry work.
"Rankin helped provide a communication link with the farmers that allowed us to meet their needs while minimizing the cost to taxpayers," Gaynor said.
For his part, Powell says the temporary ferry was a good solution to what could have been a serious problem.
"We have farmers who normally move equipment back and forth across the Shawneetown Bridge on an almost daily basis, so being able to access their fields was a real concern. As far as I can see, the ferry allowed them to work their fields on both sides of the river with few restrictions," Powell said.
T.C. Chambers, now retired from the highway department, says the real hero in the effort to accommodate the farmers is ferry operator Lonnie Lewis.
"Lonnie has farmed, so he knows what these guys are up against. He's been very accommodating. When a farmer has had a special need, he's made arrangements to get them across," Chambers said. "It's just a good feeling to be part of something that works well for everyone."
The temporary ferry operation also revived a bit of area history. Ohio River ferry service started at Shawneetown as early as 1802 ending with construction of the Shawneetown Bridge in 1956.
Gaynor says it's always great to be a part of something that turns out to be a win-win situation for everyone.
"Our contractor was able to complete the work about a month early.
The newly painted bridge looks better and is now protected from the elements. We saved the taxpayers money and we allowed the farmers to maintain their livelihood," Gaynor said.
Even with the successful completion of the bridge maintenance project, Gaynor says he's relieved to know that he'll be retired long before the Shawneetown Bridge is due for painting again in another 25 to 30 years.
