Matthew E. Welsh Bridge


Matthew E. Welsh Bridge

View underneath from Indiana side
Coordinates 38°01′01.52″N 86°11′49.69″W / 38.0170889°N 86.1971361°WCoordinates: 38°01′01.52″N 86°11′49.69″W / 38.0170889°N 86.1971361°W
Carries 2 lanes of Kentucky Route 79 and Indiana State Road 135
Crosses Ohio River
Maintained by INDOT
Characteristics
Design Cantilever bridge
Total length 3,098 ft (944 m)
Longest span 221 m
History
Construction begin August 1964
Opened November 19, 1966

Matthew E. Welsh Bridge is a two-lane, single-pier cantilever bridge[1] on the Ohio River. The bridge connects Kentucky Route 79 and Indiana State Road 135, as well as the communities of Brandenburg, Kentucky and Mauckport, Indiana.

It is 3,098 ft (944 m) long and was built at a cost of 5.5 million dollars, financed mainly by the State of Indiana. The truss portion of the bridge is continuous across two 725 ft (221 m) spans. Construction of the bridge began in August 1964 and the bridge was opened to traffic on November 19, 1966.

The bridge was named after Matthew E. Welsh, the 41st governor of Indiana.

Although 90% of the bridge is within the Commonwealth of Kentucky, it is owned and maintained by the State of Indiana.

Footnotes

  1. Durkee, Jackson, "World's Longest Bridge Spans", National Steel Bridge Alliance, May 24, 1999

See also

Further reading