Bridge inspectors have confirmed that two sections of the bridge were brought down. The bridge is 1,065m long and has six through-truss spans totalling 488m. The longest truss span is 112m.
The pilot of the cargo ship told the Coast Guard that he saw no vehicles on the deck when the boat struck the bridge.
The two-lane bridge – formally the Eggner’s Ferry Bridge – is at the western entrance to Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. It opened to traffic in 1932. Its elevation was raised in 1943 when the Tennessee River was impounded to create Kentucky Lake. On average, the bridge carries approximately 2,800 vehicles a day.
It is in the process of being replaced by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, along with the nearby bridge over Lake Barkley. Pre-construction work has begun for the basket-handle, tied-arch structures.
