Officials Say Kennedy and Clark Bridges Can Handle Extra Weight

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials say the Kennedy and Clark Memorial bridges can handle the additional traffic load from the Sherman Minton Bridge.The Sherman Minton is closed indefinitely due to structural damage. The 80,000 cars that cross it daily are being rerouted to the two downtown bridges, which are already over capacity. (To see the traffic plan, click here.)A scheduled inspection of the Kennedy Bridge by Kentucky and Indiana officials today was called off. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spokeswoman Andrea Clifford says that doesn't mean the bridge is overdue for an inspection."The detailed inspection has been done recently, but this joint annual inspection's going to have to be postponed. We may have to do it on a Saturday or a Sunday when closing a lane won't have as much impact," she says.The last Kennedy Bridge inspection was November last year. The Clark Memorial Bridge was last inspected in April of this year.The Kennedy previously carried roughly 136,000 cars per day.