KENTUCKY — Inspectors with the Kentucky Transporation Cabinet (KYTC) started their rigorous testing of metal welds Monday on the Carroll Cropper Memorial Bridge, transportation officials said.
Drivers should expect extended single-lane closures on the bridge from March 6 until April 14. According to transportation officials, these inspections are federally-mandated.
Eastbound lanes will be inspected first, followed by westbound lanes. Transportation officials said the lane closures will be contained to the far-right lane as the inspection advances. Digital message signs will be placed along I-275 to notify drivers.
Every two years, the bridge undergoes a routine inspection. The most recent inspection was in July 2022, which showed no critical findings for the bridge, according to KYTC.
This inspection is more specialized as it involves removing paint, testing hundreds of welds and replacing primer.
“This in-depth inspection will determine whether very specific repairs will be needed. The public can be assured that our bridges will be kept safe,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray.
The Carroll Cropper Memorial Bridge is one of two spans in the Department of Highway District 6 region that will undergo this inspection.
According to KYTC, the bridge contains a "T-1" steel, which is a grade of high-strength, quenched and treated steel known for being highly amenable to welding and matching.
In May 2021, a fracture was discovered in a weld in a T-1 steel component of the I-40 Hernado de Soto Bridge between Memphis, Tennessee and West Memphis, Arkansas. This caused the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA in December 2021 to issue a memorandum to states to identify, inspect and test specific T-1 steel bridges, according to KYTC. The inspections help verify the soundness of all "butt welds" with the use of non-destructive testing. FHWA wants all projects completed by March 31, 2024.
The Carroll Cropper Bridge was built in 1977 and carries I-275 over the Ohio River.
Information about lane closures and traffic impacts can be found online at transporation.ky.gov/DistrictSix, KYTC District 6's Facebook page or on Twitter at @KYTCDistrict6.
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