Bridge Replacement – KY 40 over Paint Creek and Barnett Creek

The project consisted of Phase I and Phase II design and provided for two adjacent bridge replacement projects. Due to the short distance between the two structures, we developed both projects as one. DLZ performed alignment and grade studies for the project. Since the Corps of Engineers was responsible for the control of the dam, the hydraulic design was coordinated with them. Both Barnetts Creek and Paint Creek are considered environmentally sensitive creeks, and the design of the project took into consideration the bridge replacement’s impact on these streams.

The bridge over Paint Creek consisted of a three-span, 20m-32m-29m curved bridge with a gutter-to-gutter width of 12m. We skewed the bridge 41° to the long chord and designed continuous for an HS25 live load. Bridge hydraulics were especially significant as the crossing was approximately 1500’ downstream of Paintsville Lake. Paintsville Lake is a 1,139-acre reservoir in Johnson and Morgan counties in eastern Kentucky. The crossing of Barnett Creek required design of a double 4.3m x 3.4m reinforced concrete box culvert with special wings and inlet details to accommodate hydraulic design requirements.

The DLZ team was also responsible for all surveying, roadway plans, right-of-way plans, and the right-of-way plans for utilities.