The Broadway Bridge carried U.S. Routes 127 and 421 over the Kentucky River in Frankfort, Kentucky.
History
The Broadway Bridge carried U.S. Routes 127 and 421 over the Kentucky River in Frankfort, Kentucky. It was the fourth bridge constructed at that location.
The Louisville & Frankfort Railroad completed the first crossing in 1851. 2 This structure—a suspension bridge believed to have been designed by John A. Roebling—proved unable to support the weight of railroad traffic. It was replaced in 1856 by a covered bridge capable of accommodating trains, carriages, and pedestrians.
During the Civil War in 1862, Confederate General John Hunt Morgan burned the bridge to disrupt a key transportation route. 2 A new covered bridge was built in 1864 but was later destroyed by flooding. In 1868, it was replaced with an iron Fink truss bridge, which was itself replaced in 1910 by a stronger pin-connected Baltimore Petit through-truss with deck plate girder approaches.
In 1929, the American Bridge Company constructed a separate railroad bridge for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. 2 The older bridge was repurposed to carry Broadway Street and U.S. Routes 127 and 421 across the river.
A major rehabilitation project in 1951 widened the roadway by disconnecting and repositioning the trusses and approach girders. 2 The original timber deck, sidewalks, and handrails were replaced with a concrete deck and steel railings. The project also added new structural bracing, floor beams, stringers, sidewalk brackets, and repairs to the piers and abutments.
By 1977, inspections revealed deterioration in the bridge’s floor system. 2 A subsequent load rating determined it was no longer adequate for Class AA truck traffic, resulting in reduced load limits and inclusion on the Substandard Bridge List. A detailed inspection in 1987 identified significant deterioration in the stringers, lower truss chords, and their connections.
In 1989, a new four-lane bridge was constructed downstream to carry U.S. Routes 127 and 421, bypassing the Broadway Bridge. 1 2
An underwater inspection in 1990 identified major structural issues at Pier 3 and recommended closure. 2 Despite this, the bridge remained open until a 1991 inspection prompted a further reduction in the load limit to 3 tons. In December 1993, an in-depth structural evaluation by Burgess & Niple found the bridge to be in critical condition, leading to its closure to all traffic.
In 1995, the engineering firm Haworth, Meyer, and Boleyn (HMB) prepared a report for the City of Frankfort exploring the potential to reopen the bridge for pedestrian use. 2 The estimated cost of necessary repairs was just under $400,000. However, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) anticipated continuing deterioration and maintenance needs, particularly at the piers and other severely compromised areas.
In 2019, the city and state revisited the idea of converting the Broadway Bridge for pedestrian use and initiated an updated feasibility study and structural inspection. 2
Bridge Conversion
A Bridge Conversion Feasibility Study, completed in August 2019, concluded that the Broadway Bridge was in a state of imminent failure. 2 It received a structural condition rating of 1 out of 9 under Federal Highway Administration guidelines, indicating severe deterioration and section loss in key structural elements, as well as its continued closure to all traffic.
For years, the City of Frankfort viewed the bridge as a potential community asset. Since its closure to vehicles, city planners have proposed repurposing the structure as a pedestrian and bicycle crossing over the Kentucky River. 2 This goal is outlined in both the City of Frankfort & Franklin County Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan (2016) and Frankfort’s Downtown Master Plan (2018). The pedestrian and bicycle plan lists the replacement or reuse of the Broadway Bridge as Priority 4A—denoting a link that is not critical but remains of interest. The downtown plan emphasizes improving the pedestrian and bicycle trail network by reducing fragmentation. Its primary recommendation for the Broadway Bridge is: “Foremost is renovation and reuse of the Broadway Bridge into a pedestrian/bike facility.”
As part of the feasibility study, Palmer Engineering conducted an in-depth inspection of the bridge in June 2019. 2 This inspection required close-range, hands-on assessment of all above-ground structural elements. Normally, such inspections use a snooper truck positioned on the bridge deck to bring inspectors within arm’s reach of structural members. However, due to concerns about the bridge’s load-bearing capacity, this was not possible. Instead, Palmer employed alternative access methods, including rope climbing (per SPRAT standards), ladders, boats, and rigging systems below the deck. A pickboard—a movable scaffold suspended by cables—was used to examine the underside of the truss and girder approach spans. Extension ladders provided access to Spans 1, 2, and 6, allowing inspectors to evaluate the twin girder superstructures and to perform substructure sounding where conditions allowed. A manned safety boat was used to patrol the river during the inspection, transporting inspectors to the piers for close examination of the masonry, and serving as a platform for capturing site photographs to document the overall condition and layout of the bridge.
In October 2020, Stantec Consulting Services performed an underwater inspection of the Broadway Bridge’s river piers. 3 The inspection identified significant structural concerns, particularly at Pier 5, located near the center of the river. Stantec recommended either removing the pier due to missing masonry blocks in the splash zone and other structural deficiencies, repairing it in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards to preserve its historic character, or encasing it in a reinforced concrete collar textured to resemble the original masonry.
The report also recommended repairs to Piers 3, 4, and 6, as well as minor to moderate repairs to both abutments. 3
The State Highway Plan, signed by Governor Andy Beshear in April 2022, allocated $3.5 million to construct a new river crossing at Broadway. 4 In November 2022, the City of Frankfort committed up to $2 million in additional funding for the project.
Engineering and environmental studies commenced shortly thereafter, and a public meeting was held in November 2023 to gather community input. 4 A preliminary line and grade meeting followed in December, during which engineers identified the preferred alternative: constructing a new pedestrian bridge slightly downstream that would incorporate the steel superstructure of the existing bridge. This option aligned with public preference and was selected for further development.
In spring 2024, the city applied for $1.7 million in federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding to advance the project. 4
Demolition
On August 4, 2024, 5 debris from the sidewalk and railing of the Broadway Bridge fell, prompting immediate action by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). 4 At KYTC’s request, the U.S. Coast Guard established a temporary safety zone on the Kentucky River between mile markers 65.5 and 66, prohibiting all vessel traffic beneath the bridge. KYTC also deployed warning buoys in the area, while the City of Frankfort installed safety fencing and signage to restrict access to the walking trail and surrounding areas in River View Park.
Preliminary demolition plans called for removing the bridge spans on the city side first to allow boat traffic to resume and to reopen access to the park. 4 The remaining steel superstructure would then be dismantled carefully to salvage as much material as possible for potential reuse in a future pedestrian crossing project.
On September 13, a $10.7 million contract was awarded to Haydon Bridge Co., Inc., and C.J. Mahan Construction for the partial demolition of the Broadway Bridge. 6 This followed the rejection of an initial bid by KYTC that had come in significantly above project estimates. Engineers subsequently revised the project scope to reduce demolition complexity and contractual risk before re-advertising the contract.
The river channel reopened to boat traffic on November 4, 8 and sidewalks and city trails in River View Park reopened to pedestrians on December 12—ahead of schedule. 7 The full demolition is expected to be completed by fall 2025.
Gallery
Sources
- Frankfort Urban Area Transportation Study. Lexington: Jordan, Jones & Goulding, 2000. Print.
- “Bridge Conversion Feasibility Study Broadway Street (KY 3506) over Kentucky River.” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Aug. 2019.
- “Memorandum.” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Jan. 2021.
- Djigbenou, Naitore. “Transportation Cabinet Expediting Removal of Closed Broadway Bridge in Frankfort to Ensure Public Safety and Take Steps to Reopen River Traffic.” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, 8 Aug. 2024.
- Djigbenou, Naitore. “Transportation Cabinet Advertises for Contract to Remove Closed Broadway Bridge in Frankfort to Ensure Safety and Reopen River Traffic.” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, 16 Aug. 2024.
- Djigbenou, Naitore. “Transportation Cabinet Awards Contract to Remove Closed Broadway Bridge in Frankfort to Ensure Safety and Reopen River Traffic.” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, 13 Sept. 2024.
- Djigbenou, Naitore. “TRAFFIC ADVISORY: River View Park Sidewalks and Trails Reopened as Broadway Bridge Demolition Continues” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, 12 Dec. 2024.
- Djigbenou, Naitore. “Kentucky River Channel Under Closed Broadway Bridge Reopens As Transportation Cabinet Continues Demolition.” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, 4 Nov. 2024.
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