Vine Grove included in state bridge funding award

As the City of Vine Grove works towards replacing the recently-closed Otter Creek Road Bridge, the city is receiving funding to replace another.

Vine Grove was included in the latest round of the Team Kentucky County and City Bridge Improvement Program. According to a release from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, nearly $6.5 million will be awarded from the program for eight county and two city bridge projects. Nine of the projects are for bridge replacements while one is for repairs. Each approved project is reviewed and validated by KYTC engineers.

Vine Grove will receive $789,274.90 from the program. Those funds will go towards the replacement of the Creekvale Drive Bridge.

The money for the Creekvale Drive Bridge comes the same week the city was forced to close the Otter Creek Road Bridge. Vine Grove Mayor Pam Ogden said as the city was applying for funds for Otter Creek Road, Saint Andrews Drive, and Creekvale Road, it was found that the Otter Creek Road Bridge was not included on the state bridge registry. Ogden said an inspection of the bridge found it had deteriorated to a point that a closure was necessary.

Ogden said the city is working hard on finding the funding to replace the bridge.

“It’s a $1.5 million investment to replace that bridge,” Ogden said. “It is not something that we have right now at the city to fund ourselves. It’s in such bad shape that the entire bridge has to be replaced.”

Visit the KYTC website for more information on the bridge program.