Link-Belt crawlers tackle Kentucky bridge deck rebuild

The TCC-800 operating from the bridge deck has played a critical role in the project’s success.

A $7.1 million (£5.6 million) bridge rehabilitation project is underway on the Fishing Creek Bridge (KY 80) in western Pulaski County, Kentucky, USA. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet awarded the contract to Kay & Kay Contracting LLC of London, Kentucky, to replace the bridge deck and repair bridge beams.

Three Link-Belt cranes, a 348 HYLAB 5 lattice boom crawler and two TCC-800 telecrawlers, are central to the operation. The 348 HYLAB 5, equipped with 62 metres (205 feet) of main boom, and one TCC-800 are positioned on barges approximately 24 metres (80 feet) below the existing bridge deck in Lake Cumberland. A second TCC-800 is working from above on the bridge deck itself.

The TCC-800 operating from the bridge deck has played a critical role in the project’s success. Its track width fits within the 4.3-metre (14-foot) margins of the existing bridge profile, enabling it to navigate the tight space with ease. Thanks to its maneuverability and lifting capacity at radius, the crane has helped keep work progressing smoothly and on schedule.