kentucky transportation cabinet

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will begin repairs to the US-60 Ledbetter Bridge Saturday. Intech, Inc., of Lexington, is the prime contractor of the nearly $95,000 repair project. The repairs aim to maintain the safety of the bridge while a new one is built upstream. A heavily enforced three-ton load restriction limits traffic on the bridge to mostly non-commercial vehicles. The bridge will be closed to all traffic from 8 pm Saturday, March 24 to 2 am on Sunday, March 25. and on April 6, the US 60 Ledbetter Bridge will be restricted to one lane of traffic.

The Kentucky House budget committee has approved the next two-year road plan for the commonwealth.

The committee easily passed the plan and the Transportation Cabinet's operating budget today.

The road plan funds many of Governor Steve Beshear's big initiatives, such as widening both Interstate 65 around Bowling Green and the Mountain Parkway.

Bill sponsor Sannie Overly didn't offer specific details about the committee's changes to the measures, but says there are some.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Inspector General David Ray has been fired. Ray tells The Courier-Journal he was surprised when Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock told him Friday he was being dismissed after about 8 years of service. Ray says he was not given a reason. The Inspector General’s office is the Transportation Cabinet’s investigative arm and the position is non-merit, meaning employees like Ray can be fired without cause.  KYTC spokesman Chuck Wolfe says he can’t comment on the reason for the inspector general's dismissal.

From the office of the Governor:

Gov. Steve Beshear today took a firsthand look at the damaged Eggners Ferry Bridge and said getting traffic restored across Kentucky Lake is among his highest priorities.

“We are keenly aware of the inconvenience for travelers and the economic hardship that has been created for many business owners because of the sudden loss of this route across Kentucky Lake,” Gov. Beshear said. “Our engineers are working non-stop on plans to get traffic safely restored.”

The owners of a cargo ship that struck and collapsed part of the Eggner’s Ferry Bridge say they were not responsible because some of the bridge's lights were not working. Delta Mariner owner Foss Maritime made the claim in a federal lawsuit seeking to remove any liability from the late January collision on Kentucky Lake. The Miller Law Firm in Paducah is representing Foss in the suit. U.S. Coast Guard spokeswoman Lt. Jennifer Jessee says all aspects of the wreck are being reviewed and no cause has been determined.