The announcement comes a year to the day after Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) awarded Johnson Brothers a US$131.5 million contract to build the project’s near-twin, the replacement of the Eggners Ferry Bridge over nearby Kentucky Lake (link opens in new tab).
The new bridge over Lake Barkley is the second of the two schemes in the Lake Bridges project. It will carry US 68/KY 80 and serve as the eastern entrance to Land Between The Lakes national recreation area.
“Replacement of the bridges over Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley has been a priority of my administration, and it’s a great pleasure to see the awarding of the culminating contract,” said state governor Steve Beshear. “The importance of these bridges to the tourism industry of Western Kentucky cannot be overstated.”
The new Lake Barkley Bridge will replace the Henry Lawrence Memorial Bridge at Canton, which was built in 1932 and long ago ceased to meet modern design standards. The new bridge is expected to be open to traffic by October 2017. The Kentucky Lake Bridge is due to be ready for traffic in December this year, with completion in 2016.
