LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After an emergency closure of the Sherman Minton Bridge on Friday, engineers continue to analyze the structure to determine when it could reopen.
According to a news release from Sherman Minton Renewal, while there is no structural damage to the bridge, repairs are expected to begin Tuesday. There is still no date for when the bridge will reopen.
Engineers found an "alignment issue" with the lateral beams after removing temporary bracing at a concrete deck pour. This is what prompted the immediate shut down of the bridge for the public's safety.
Both directions will remain closed in both directions on both decks until the design and repairs are finished according to the release.
“Safety is always our top priority,” Royce Meredith, a program manager with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, said. “We are pleased with the results of our thorough inspections and early analyses and the project team is focused on safely reopening the bridge to traffic in days, not weeks.”
Dr. William McGinley, a professor at the University of Louisville's J. B. Speed School of Engineering, said those bridge engineers will need time to assess how they will fix the issue and reopen it to the public.
"They're working on trying to address it," McGinley said. "I can't give you an estimate on that. It could be months or it could be a couple of days. It's somewhere on that range. It depends on what they have to do."
McGinley said the project team needs to formulate a plan and determine if they have to fabricate new systems.
"Let's say it's two or three beams they have to fabricate, they have to order the beams, they have to get them fabricated, they have to get them in there and that's going to take time," McGinley said.
The bridge shutdown is not only impacting traffic, but also the economy and people who live nearby. McGinley said public safety outweighs those issues.
"They're saying, 'Give us time. We found a problem. We're going to shut it down to be safe for the public and we'll get back to you as soon as we can and get this thing fixed and get the bridge open.'" McGinley said. "If I was in their place I'd say exactly the same thing."
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