The upcoming replacement of two culverts on KY 3379, Branham’s Creek, in Floyd County will have considerable impact on traffic.
The first work zone will be at mile 1.872, from just north of Robert Hall Cemetery Road to just south of Neck Branch Road. Work is set to begin Wednesday, October 23rd and will take just four days. The road will be closed to ALL traffic at the work site during this time. Traffic will be able to access points along the highway on either side of the work zone. However, no traffic will be allowed to drive through the work site. There will be deep, pen trenches dug out across both lanes of roadway.
This is not a work-hours only closure. The road will be closed 24 hours a day for four days.
ASL Excavating of Flemingsburg was awarded $232,521.48 contract, which covers replacement of both drainage structures, removal and replacement of guardrail, and repaving the two sections of highway.
The contractor must wait a minimum of seven days from the time the first culvert is finished until work on the second on e begins, A weather-dependent project, if all goes well, the contractor should be able to start on the second culvert on November 4th.
The second structure is expected to close the road 24 hours a day for three days. The location is at mile point 2.75, between Neck Branch Road and Bear Hollow Road.
The entire job had a completion date of November 30th.
Highway District 12 Section Engineer Matt Moore explained the need to completely close the road while work is under way. “These drainage structures, what we call culverts, are deep underneath the road. The contractor must completely dig out the road to remove them. Both of these structures are nearing collapse and must be replaced. There is no other way to install the new drainage.”
Moore said that the engineers at District 12 realize that the detour options are limited and that traffic will have to use Tinker Fork to KY 3380 or Left Fork of Bear Fork Road to KY 122. Neither of these county roads will accommodate large trucks or school buses.
“The school bus garage has been notified. Parents should get instructions from the school about where to meet their children’s bus. We apologize for this inconvenience. Try to remember that it is temporary – four days the first time and three days the second time. And also keep in mind that the drainage on Branham’s Creek will be improved significantly, which will make travel along the highway much, much safer.”