Details will be forthcoming about Thursday night’s collision and collapse of two spans of the Eggner’s Ferry Bridge, which is the Highway 68/80 crossing of Kentucky Lake on the west side of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area – a major destination for folks who like to fish, camp, hike, backpack, hunt, ride ORVs, look at animals and loaf around outside.
The bridge was struck by what Kentucky state transportation officials are terming a “large supply ship” – actually the 312-foot Delta Mariner.
I’ve crossed the bridge numerous times and been underneath it often (it’s a popular fishing spot). The photo was taken from the Fenton Access, a popular launch/take out point. I’m not an engineer but it doesn’t take a trained eye to determine that the bridge is something of an antique. It opened in 1932.
This will certainly be a large inconvenience to locals and visitors – including many fishermen, campers and other LBL visitors.
The miracle tonight is, according to early news reports, that there were apparently no injuries. No automobiles in the water. No one missing from or injured on the boat. All else can be repaired.
The Outdoor Notebook 