Kentucky River

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The US Army Corps of Engineers operated a series of locks and dams on the Kentucky River to provide water transportation from the Eastern Kentucky Coal Fields to the Ohio River system. Originally, 14 locks provided navigation to Beattyville, KY.; today, the river is only navigable to Lock #4 in Frankfort, KY. The dams are currently operated by the State-run Kentucky River Authority. In the Bluegrass Region, the river is deeply incised into the surrounding plain, forming the Kentucky River Palisades.

Big Blue Bridge (Carroll County, Kentucky)
Built 1952
Through truss bridge over Kentucky River on US 42 in Carrollton
Open to traffic

Broadway Bridge (Franklin County, Kentucky)
Built 1910
Through truss bridge over Kentucky River on KY 3506 in Frankfort
Fenced off with No Trespassing Signs

Camp Nelson Covered Bridge (Garrard County, Kentucky)
Built 1838 by Lewis Wernwag and survived the Civil War. Bridge was closed to traffic in 1926 when a truck broke through the bridge's deck. The bridge was demolished in 1933 and all that remains are the approaches and a facade on the north approach.
Lost covered bridge over Kentucky River on an old alignment of US 27 (Old Lexington Road)
Replaced by new bridge

Clay's Ferry Bridge (Fayette County, Kentucky)
Built 1946 as part of US 25; twin span added 1963 as part of I-75; both spans widened in 1998 to form a single six-lane bridge
Deck truss bridge over the Kentucky River on I-75/US 25/US 421 at Clay's Ferry south of Lexington
Open to six lanes of traffic

Combs Railroad Bridge (Perry County, Kentucky)
Pratt through truss bridge over Kentucky River on CSX Railroad
Open to traffic

East Butterfly Railroad Bridge (Perry County, Kentucky)
Through truss bridge over Kentucky River on CSX Railroad


First High Bridge (Jessamine County, Kentucky)
Built 1876-77, new superstructure built in 1910-11, original substructure demolished in 1913
Lost Deck truss bridge over Kentucky River on Cincinnati Southern Railway at High Bridge


Ford L&N Bridge (Clark County, Kentucky)
Through truss bridge over Kentucky River on L&N
Abandoned

Gratz Bridge (Henry County, Kentucky)
Built 1931; Replaced 2011
Lost through truss bridge over Kentucky River on KY 22 in Gratz
Demolished and replaced.

Heidelberg bridge (Lee County, Kentucky)
Built 1968
Polygonal Warren through truss bridge over Kentucky River on KY 399
Open to traffic

High Bridge (Jessamine County, Kentucky)
Built in 1911 to replace the original bridge built in 1877
Cantilever Bridge over Kentucky River on Norfolk Southern Railway (former Cincinnati Southern Railway) in High Bridge
Open to traffic

Jeff Railroad Bridge (Perry County, Kentucky)
Pratt through truss bridge over North Fork of Kentucky River on CSX Railroad
Open to traffic

Kentucky River KY 52 Bridge (Estill County, Kentucky)
Built ca. 1940
Through truss bridge over Kentucky River on KY 52 in Irvine
Open to traffic

Kentucky River KY 80 Bridge (Perry County, Kentucky)
Built 1929
Through truss bridge over Kentucky River on KY 80 in Combs
Open to traffic

Kentucky River Railroad Bridge (Franklin County, Kentucky)
Built 1929 by the American Bridge Company
Pennsylvania through truss bridge over Kentucky River on RJC Railroad
Open to traffic

L&N Kentucky River Bridge (Clark County, Kentucky)
Through truss bridge over Kentucky River on Seaboard Systems rail line.


L&N Shortline Bridge (Carroll County, Kentucky)
Parker through truss bridge over Kentucky River on CSX Railroad (Formerly L&N Shortline)
Open to traffic

Middle Fork Kentucky River KY 30 Bridge (Breathitt County, Kentucky)
Built 1935
Pratt through truss bridge over Middle Fork Kentucky River on KY 30
Open to traffic

North Fork Kentucky River Bridge (Breathitt County, Kentucky)
Built unk
Through truss bridge over North Fork Kentucky River on Robinson Road
Open to traffic

North Fork Kentucky River Bridge (Perry County, Kentucky)
Built 1926 by the Atlantic Bridge Co.
Pony truss bridge over North Fork Kentucky River on Kenmont Road
Open to traffic

North Fork Kentucky River KY 1862 Bridge (Letcher County, Kentucky)
Built 1926
Arch bridge over North Fork Kentucky River on KY 1862
Open to traffic

North Fork Kentucky River KY 3193 Bridge (Breathitt County, Kentucky)
Built ca.1890; may have been rehabilitated in 1956
Through truss bridge over North Fork of Kentucky River on KY 3193
Open to traffic

North Fork Kentucky River KY 451 Bridge (Perry County, Kentucky)
Built 1927
Through truss bridge over North Fork Kentucky River on KY 451 in Hazard
Open to traffic

North Fork Kentucky River KY 451 Bridge No. 2 (Perry County, Kentucky)
Built 1938; Replaced 2009
Lost through truss bridge over North Fork Kentucky River on KY 451 in Hazard
Replaced by new bridge

North Fork Kentucky River KY 588 Bridge (Letcher County, Kentucky)
Built ca. 1930
Through truss bridge over North Fork Kentucky River on KY 588
Open to traffic

North Fork of Kentucky River Railroad Bridge (Perry County, Kentucky)
Pratt through truss bridge over North Fork of Kentucky River on CSX Railroad
Open to traffic

Old Camp Nelson Bridge (Garrard County, Kentucky)
Built 1927 and replaced the Camp Nelson Covered Bridge. However, in turn, it was replaced by the new (US 27) Camp Nelson Bridge in 1972.
Parker Truss bridge over Kentucky River on Old Lexington Road
Closed to all traffic

Old Clay's Ferry Bridge (Fayette County, Kentucky)
Built 1871; rehabilitated 1955
Two-span through truss bridge over Kentucky River on KY 2328 (Old US 25) in Lexington
Open to traffic

Old US 42 Kentucky River Bridge (Carroll County, Kentucky)
Built 1900
Lost Parker through truss bridge over Kentucky River on US 42 in Carrollton
Replaced by new bridge

Old Woodland Park Bridge (KY 2448) (Perry County, Kentucky)
Built 1934
Lost through truss bridge over North Fork Kentucky River on KY 2448 in Hazard
Bridge has been replaced.

Singing Bridge (Franklin County, Kentucky)
Built 1893; rehabilitated 1956; rehabilitated 2010
Through truss bridge over Kentucky River on US 60 in Frankfort
Open to traffic

South Fork Kentucky River Bridge (Lee County, Kentucky)
Built 1935
Lost through truss bridge over South Fork Kentucky River
Bridge has been replaced.

South Fork Kentucky River KY 30 Bridge (Owsley County, Kentucky)
Built 1934
Lost through truss bridge over South Fork Kentucky River on KY 30
Bridge has been replaced.

Tyrone "S" Bridge (Anderson County, Kentucky)
Built 1932 by the Virginia Bridge Co.
Deck truss bridge over Kentucky River and on US 62
Open to traffic

Valley View Ferry (Jessamine County, Kentucky)
Ferry Started 1785 by John Craig under charter from the Virgina Legislature. Oldest business in Kentucky.
Ferry across Kentucky River on KY 39
Open to traffic

War Mothers Memorial Bridge (Franklin County, Kentucky)
Built 1938 by the Bethlehem Steel Co.
Steel stringer bridge over Kentucky River on Capitol Avenue
Open to traffic

West Butterfly Railroad Bridge (Perry County, Kentucky)
Through truss bridge over Kentucky River on CSX Railroad
Open to traffic

Young's High Bridge (Anderson County, Kentucky)
Built 1889, closed to traffic in November 1985
Cantilevered deck truss bridge over Kentucky River on former Louisville Southern Railroad
Closed to all traffic