Emergency access on the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge on Garvey Avenue in Elsmere will likely be affected after the state downgraded the bridge’s weight rating.
The city announced Thursday the weight rating reduction, from 27 tons to 13 tons, by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet following a recent structural analysis.
The bridge is owned by the rail company, so the city has no direct control over its maintenance. Yet, given Garvey Avenue’s role as a main thoroughfare through the city, leaders are expressing concern that fire trucks won’t be able to reliably reach affected parts of the city. As a result, city and state officials are “are actively pressing Norfolk Southern Railroad to take immediate and sustained action to resolve this issue and restore safe access,” according to the city’s announcement.
Norfolk Southern confirmed this in a written statement to LINK nky.
“We were notified of concerns over the condition of the bridge last week and have been in close communication with state and local officials to determine a course of action,” the company’s statement reads.
“The safety impacts of this change are significant, and residents deserve a reliable solution,” said Elsmere Mayor Marty Lenhof. “The City of Elsmere is fully engaged with Norfolk Southern and KYTC to identify corrective options and move toward a permanent resolution. We are committed to advocating for our community and ensuring the necessary steps are taken to address this concern promptly and responsibly.”
“This downgrade creates an unacceptable risk for our residents,” said Elsmere Fire Chief Paul LaFontaine. “Our apparatus cannot cross the bridge under the new limit, and when Main Street is blocked by trains, which happens frequently, our ability to reach people calling 911 is delayed. We are urging Norfolk Southern to take immediate corrective action. Public safety must be the priority.”
