Photo By Mark Rankin | (Left to Right) Lt. Col. Anthony Mitchell, Nashville District commander; U.S....... read more read more
CUMBERLAND, KY -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, City of Cumberland and U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers dedicated the $1.2 million Nicey Hazen Bridge project six months earlier than scheduled.
On Sept. 9, a dedication ceremony marked the completion of the 18-month construction project. The construction, dedication and renaming of the new Billips Avenue bridge to the Nicey Hazen bridge in Cumberland that completed the first critical component of the flood damage reduction project for the city.
In 2005, the Nashville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed a detailed project report for the City of Cumberland Flood Damage Reduction Project.
From that report, a plan was developed, headed by Nicey Hazen to reduce flooding by a combination of structural and non-structural measures for the community.
The plan included channel modifications to the Poor Fork of the Cumberland River and to Looney Creek, as well as voluntary flood-proofing and relocations for residential and commercial properties.
“The project was completed because of great teamwork between the Corps, the city, the Commonwealth and the contractor, Estes Bros. Construction Company,” said Barney Schulte, project manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District. “This was a great bridge design”.
U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, the keynote speaker, commended the Corps and Hazen for their tireless commitment to excellence and devotion to flood reduction for Cumberland.
“Along these towns where the Corps has built these tunnels, bridges and relocated sites for flood reduction, I don’t think any towns have suffered flooding since the flood reduction projects have started and that’s important,” said Rogers.
There were seven piers on the old bridge that captured debris during heavy flooding, backing up the river and causing flooding upstream. Hazen was a frontrunner in turning the flooding situation around.
During the historic flooding of 1977 the city of Cumberland experienced devastating floods and a major contributor to that flood was the old Billips Avenue Bridge.
The old bridge had deteriorated to such an extent that school buses were not allowed to cross. As a result, for safety, children riding the bus were let off the bus and had to walk across the bridge.
“We’ve not only made strides for flooding reduction upstream of this project but we have also removed a serious safety concern for the city with the removal of the old bridge,” said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District Commander, Lt. Col. Anthony Mitchell.
“This new bridge has solved that problem,” said Mitchell. The newly constructed and dedicated Nicey Hazen Bridge replaces the old Billips Avenue Bridge as part of a Flood Damage Reduction Project for Harlan County.
Additionally, six bridges in the area will be modified or replaced, including the Billips Avenue Bridge.
The construction contract was completed in June 2010, on budget and ahead of schedule.
| Date Taken: | 09.09.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 10.20.2010 17:18 |
| Story ID: | 58513 |
| Location: | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 242 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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