Photo provided by KYTC
Explosive demolition of the old Lake Barkley Bridge along US 68 at Canton in Trigg County is still set for some time between 6:30 and 9 o’clock Wednesday morning and the new bridge will be closed for about two hours.
Traffic will be stopped about 15-to-20 minutes prior to the explosion, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. After the blast to bring down the main spans of the old bridge, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet personnel will need about an hour or more to assure debris from the blast has not been scattered onto the driving surface of the new bridge.
Westbound traffic on US 68/KY 80 will be halted near the Arrowhead Way intersection on the Canton side of the lake. Eastbound traffic will be halted at the Energy Lake Road crossover on the Land Between the Lakes side of Lake Barkley.
Pleasure boat traffic will be ceased for about two hours in the area of the bridge and commercial boat traffic will be halted for up to 24 hours.
Anyone wanting to watch the explosive demolition on the east side is advised there will be a public observation point near the Lakeview Convenience Store near the Arrowhead Way intersection, but parking is limited.
On the west side of the bridge there is room for about 2,000 people along the multi-use trail that runs along the south side of US 68 near the Energy Lake Road crossover.
Transportation Cabinet officials say a peninsula just off the south side of the bridge causeway near the Energy Lake Road crossover is occupied by an abundance of snakes.
It’s possible the blast could be postponed if the weather doesn’t cooperate.