In June 26 - July 2 issue
By Greg Wells
Times Journal Managing Editor

COLUMBIA, Ky. - "The last information I have is that it is on schedule," said local Transportation Cabinet Spokeswoman Stephanie Daffron. "And people should be driving on it in two weeks."

She is speaking of the Ky. 80 bridge at Russell Creek near the Columbia city limits which has been down for re-construction since last fall.

Daffron said the project  didn't have a set  completion date, but that the contractor was given 80 working days to complete the project.

She said that there were delays, while a property owner raised questions about the easements and property lines for the road.

She added that, "From December through March there were no working days."

Cabinet engineer Mark Robertson said the agency doesn't charge days against a contractor's allotment during that time because the weather in Kentucky is too bad for road construction.

"They have 10 working days remaining," Robertson said. "We're hoping to have it open to traffic in two weeks."

The budgeted cost of the project to completely replace that bridge over Russell Creek is $1,756,803.

The closure of Ky. 80 due to the bridge project began last year. Travelers between Russell Springs and Columbia have been using the Cumberland Parkway as an alternate route.

He added that the other large project working in the area, the realignment of French Valley Road in Russell Springs is on schedule, and it also is a working-day project.

He said those days will run out about November, assuming it isn't an unusually wet summer.