Dive Team to Assess Eggners Ferry Bridge Tuesday

Specially trained divers working for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plan to be at the US 68/KY 80 Eggners Ferry Bridge near Aurora, KY,  first thing Tuesday to begin their underwater examination of Pier 6 and two other piers that support the bridge structure. 

A 322 ft. span was knocked off the bridge Thursday night when it was struck by the 8400 ton cargo ship The Delta Mariner.  Some of the bridge superstructure and deck remain draped over the ship’s bow. 

The divers will be looking at the base of the 3 bridge piers to determine if the force of the collision caused collateral damage to the bridge support structure.  Kentucky Transportation Cabinet inspectors believe one of the piers may have moved as a result of the collision.

 The dive team will not be placing a monitor on the pier at this time.  However, if the pier has moved there should be indications on the lake floor that can be detected. 

Assessing the condition of the piers near the impact site is important because that will help determine strategies for replacing the missing bridge span to re-establish a river crossing for highway traffic at the site.