Clays Ferry Bridge Lexington KY
Executive Summary
It is important to identify infrastructure to ensure that it is secure and its management is at its best. Resource allocation goes hand in hand with the criticality of an asset which determines how much time, personnel, and risk cover etc. they require. This, therefore, means that assets that are less critical are given less financial and technical attention. The purpose of identification and assessment is to save funds that could have been used in securing assets that are insignificantly consequential to the company. This paper is an examination of Clays Ferry Bridge Lexington KY as a critical asset. This paper assesses the vitality of the Bridge and how it services the people. It also looks into the value of it and why I think it should be protected.
Because of its economic and social value and importance, the bridge is subjected to a number of threats and risks including natural, technological, and manmade which are also discussed herein. The vulnerabilities are included as well as the consequences that are associated with failure to properly protect this asset. The paper also includes the connection between the bridge and other sectors both in Kentucky and outside. Current legislative programs and measures that are in place to offer protection to this asset. This paper also includes the sectors profile, interrelationships and protection of sub-sectors and lastly conclusion. What is the significance of constructing bridges to connect states, cities and towns? The economic importance of this bridge has been discussed in this paper and why it should be protected. Huge infrastructural projects came into existence as a result of the timing of the bridge. The main aim of the project is to focus on bridges that connect people to urban centers. Keywords that exist in the document include urban living, Clays Ferry Bridge , and infrastructure.
Clays Ferry Bridge Lexington KY
- Introduction
Geographical gaps that are created as a result of existence of rivers and lakes are connected by Walkway bridges. Kentucky is connected to Maysville, Richmond, Portsmouth and Ohio by Clays Ferry Bridge Lexington KY. The bridge passes above Kentucky River through the Boones creek all the way to Madison County. According to (Banerjee, Duflo, & Qian, 2012). Such bridges were constructed with the sole purpose of making different regions accessible within the shortest time possible and ease pedestrians movements. Obstacles are today passable because of the existence of bridges. Studying bridge designs is therefore, important for one to know types of bridges and what they are used for.
Documentation of the bridge
The bridge is not just one of the most important assets in Kentucky but also one of the most critical in that sector. Significance of the bridge is due to its several aspects. The bridge was built in early 1869 which makes it one of the oldest bridges in the country (Pigman, Agent & Weber, 2012). The bridge is an extraordinary and one of a kind infrastructure owing to the cast iron that was used in its construction. Pin-connected Warren truss is significant in connections of the bridge.
How Walkaway Bridges contribute to urban living
Construction of the Bridge
The people of Madison county faced a major problem of transportation during the settlement period. Urban towns could Initially only be accessed through navigation through rivers e.g. Kentucky River and other local streams that were navigable. Besides, river Kentucky served as a route for agricultural produce to the markets during the 1780’s (Pigman, Agent & Weber, 2012). Other infrastructures that existed during that moment included; Barnes and Hagans Mill Roads, buffalo traces, Goggin’s Lane, and the Wilderness Road.The Kentucky River received a ferry right in 1779 so that the burden of transport could be eased. Bridges however, replaced ferries with the dawn of the 19th century. Clay ferry bridge was constructed in 1870 to improve the road network and gradually, the bridge was improved to make it a six-lane and with a widening of 1-75 (Pigman, Agent & Weber, 2012).
In the modern society, bridges are meant to connect different economies and they are designed using different technology and they are different sizes. Kentucky today celebrates the existence of several towns which sprung up as a result of Clay ferry bridge. Several years after construction of the bridge, Maysville, Richmond, Portsmouth and Ohio sprouted up. Subsequent population growth in Kentucky and its surroundings was realized because of the increased economic activities. Advance in technology also played an important role especially in construction of bridges which ensured durability. The choice and availability of the construction material is also an important factor in making bridges. The discovery of new construction material which are more durable and less vulnerable to certain threats such as polymer making are important breakthroughs to help in the construction of high quality assets.
Clays Ferry bridge Lexington KY was built using the right technology to ensure durability. There was also patience and a lot of consideration as well as care when setting up the bridge which is evident if the design and materials used are analyzed. While the earlier model was primarily made of wood and brass, the present bridge is an assembly of concrete and steel (Banerjee, Duflo, & Qian, 2012). Improvement in technical know-how has ensured that the bridge is wider and much stronger in terms of carrying capacity to make it much effective in handling traffic. The new methods include the exploitation of truss analysis and design, riveted connections, and caisson technology (Banerjee, Duflo, & Qian, 2012).
Regions that were not accessible for trade became accessible to allow free interaction and trade thanks to the construction of the Clay ferry bridge. The bridge does not only allow for trade but also a serve as a community symbol for the people of Madison and those that benefit from it. It is as simple to move across the 20 km stretch just as one would move on any other road without complicating the route making interaction very simple and less expensive. The bridge has also boosted economic growth in the area as trade has been increased and also the mobility of labor. Therefore, it is safe to state that as part of the infrastructure, the bridge serves as a major economic contribution (Banerjee, Duflo, & Qian, 2012). It is the noteworthy observation that the construction of the bridge directly contributed to the growth of towns in its surroundings.
Main Functions of the Clays Ferry Bridge
One of the basic function of the bridge is to help in interaction and movement over the obstacle which is the Kentucky river. The bridge was constructed in order for people to overcome geographical barriers. For instance, Clays Ferry Bridge Lexington provides ease when it comes to movement between Kentucky, Portsmouth, Maysville and Richmond (Baum-Snow, 2014). There are several rivers, streams and creeks in the surrounding towns which is not a suitable geographical layout to build roads therefore, the way to go about it was to build a bridge over the Kentucky river.
Asset Value
Kentucky has several critical assets and The Clays Ferry Bridge Lexington among those that top the list based on how crucial it is to the community members. Maintaining the bridge alone is quite expensive which is just but a glimpse of its value. The bridge is ever busy as traffic is always dense. As such, there is the need to create a flawless design to make it suitable for the huge traffic (Pigman, Agent & Weber, 2012). A lot of taxpayers’ money is directed towards repairs and maintenance which sums to millions so that the bridge can continue serving the community and it has also been expanded to six lanes so that the growing traffic demands are met. The bridge has a lot of economic and social importance which is realized at a very expensive cost. The maintenance of the bridge as has been discussed is quite expensive. The county is therefore forced to find a way of coping.
From an economical point of view, the Clays Ferry Bridge helps to cut down the cost of travel as well as trade falls (Hopwood & Oka, 2013). Today people do not have to worry about using longer and expensive routes and the solution was the construction of a short cut which is the bridge.
Asset Criticality
The Clays Ferry Bridge just as has been stressed above is an important asset in linking different towns together and in so doing, helping the economy grow. The importance of the asset during the settlement era has also been discussed. The bridge is also responsible for the growth and development of several towns surrounding it.
The bridge still remains relevant in the provision of its original service even though it has expanded to support better healthcare, education and agriculture. Moreover, the absence of the bridge implies that people would have to use other alternative routes, which are longer and expensive (Hopwood & Oka, 2013). Therefore, the Clays Ferry Bridge proves to be of diverse significance other than just provide a passage it also has a rich economic and historical foundation.
Risk Management Overview
The Clays Ferry Bridge Lexington KY serves a very important role in the area. As mentioned above, the bridge is a critical asset and serves different counties. Labor movements have been simplified by the existence of the bridge. Goods can also be transported faster and this is much convenient for transportation of highly perishable goods. The bridge, however, faces some risks, threats, and vulnerabilities which can undermine its criticality. According to the Blue Ribbon Panel (2003), terrorists always target places where high casualties can be recorded and where they can disrupt economic activity. The terrorists could also target the bridge so as to cut the connection to other counties so that when they hit, it will take time for the authorities to get to the scene and so much damage would have already been caused. Explosions are also a possible vulnerability. Some research has shown that during the 9/11 attack, the world trade centers collapsed as a result of the heat that the metals were exposed to. The bridge is also made of metal and concrete and because of these terrorists can target it.
Sabotage is vulnerability the bridge might face. If the bridge is left unmonitored then it could easily be sabotaged either by a terrorist or even someone with political interests. Sabotage could cause the bridge to collapse by weakening the steel rod. This would mean that a huge chunk of taxpayer’s money goes to waste and much more spent on reconstruction and not forgetting the economic standstill that would be experienced. Earthquakes is another risk that the bridge could face. When there are severe earthquakes and tremors, the concrete might crack and there is always a possibility of the bridge collapsing. Steel and concrete bridges do not always hold up well to earthquakes especially of 7.0 magnitude or higher (Kim & Lee et al 2003). This will lead to loss of life since the bridge is always busy and might be in use when the catastrophe hits. It will also interfere with the movement of goods and labor which will directly affect the economy. Heavy trucks transporting heavy loads are also a risk to the bridge. Bridges have a maximum weight they can comfortably support even though some drivers do not consider this.
- Regional and National Interdependencies
There are some interdependencies that the bridge has both locally and nationally. The bridge has to be maintained so that it stays in a perfect condition to prevent any accidents that might happen due to wearing out. The federal government allocates over five billion dollars annually to cater for over 575,000 highway bridges including Clays Ferry Bridge Lexington KY.
- Protective Measures
Because of the criticality of the bridge discussed above, it is beyond any reasonable doubt that the bridge should be protected at all times from the risks, threats and vulnerabilities.
The protective measures should be proactive and very detailed to ensure that all factors are considered in dealing with the diverse nature of threats and vulnerabilities. The bridge can be protected in two major ways. The first would be engineering modifications. Due to natural occurrences, such as earthquakes which cannot be controlled, the bridge should be at par with the current technology of bridge construction. The use of smart materials could help prevent the vulnerability of bridges to earthquakes and damages caused by strong heat. Some of these materials include shape memory alloy which has the ability to retain their original state and shape even after heating. The use of smart material could be used to reconstruct Clays Ferry Bridge Lexington KY or renovate it.
Sharing of information is also important for the protection of this critical asset. when there is suspicion of a terror attack, information should reach the relevant authorities in time to trigger a positive response. Civilians also have the responsibility of reporting damages and culprits who are involved in vandalism or sabotage. This will also make the work of highway patrol very easy. The safety of public infrastructure should be in the hand of the civilians since they are the immediate beneficiaries.
Beefing up security would also protect the bridge. Highway patrol police could supervise the bridge frequently to ensure there are no trucks using the bridge of higher weight than the required one. they can also monitor for any suspicious behavior in motorists who could be potential terrorists. The renovation should also be done after every 2 months to ensure that even small damages are managed before they get big which would be very expensive to repair and if they caused the bridge to collapse, the cost of reconstruction would be overwhelming. The air space should be monitored to thwart any possibility of air strikes. Alternative routes should also be developed to ensure that in the case of a terror attack, the movement is still possible.
- Existing Legislation, Programs, and Initiatives
Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century of 2012 (MAP-21) which aims at maintaining the highway infrastructure in the best standard of good repair. It also requires states to come up with a management plan which is performance driven and risk-based. It also sets standards for NHS bridges, for example, only 10% of the deck area can be sufficient structurally. FHWA’s Every Day Counts initiative also ensure FHWA encourage fueled project delivery. Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act of 2015 (FAST Act) also helps critical assets such as Clays Ferry Bridg. It promotes innovation and project delivery which is timely. This is important for the bridge to get to par with modern technology of building bridges discussed above. It also requires a research on the actions that are essential to restoring and upgrade the Interstate Highway System to meet the shifting and growing demands of the 21st century.
- Sector Profile
Maysville, Richmond, Portsmouth and Ohio are connected with Kentucky by the Clays Ferry Bridge which passes above Kentucky River, across the Boones creek and runs all the way to Madison County. Deck truss bridge over the Kentucky River on I-75/US 25/US 421 at Clay’s Ferry south of Lexington it is located in Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky, and Madison County, Kentucky. It also has six lanes open to traffic for fast and free flow.
Conclusion
This critical asset was constructed in 1780 in order to overcome the geographical barriers that hindered road transport such as streams, creeks and rivers. From the study of the history of the bridge it has been noted that the economy depends much on the bridge as it affects factors of production directly. The bridge should therefore be reliable to provide services for longer periods of time and so it has to be constructed using reliable and durable material. A bigger part of the economy relies heavily on the good Infrastructure in Madison County. As such any interference or development directly affects the county’s economy (Hopwood & Oka, 2013). The importance of the bridge on the basis of connectivity socially has also been looked into. When the construction of the bridge was taking place as was discussed earlier, there was development as people were attracted to the construction site. The county therefore, witnessed a population boom as a result of the construction of the bridge. The paper has also looked at some of the technological, man-made and natural risks, vulnerabilities, and threats that the bridge faces.
Discussed in this document is also what makes the bridge a critical asset and why it should be protected at all cost. How the bridge is interdependent with other sectors has also been discussed as well as the existing legislations and initiatives that protect this critical asset. However, additional protective measures have also been discussed and the sectors profile. The bridge has economic as well as socio-cultural importance which calls for tight and vigilant security measures.
References
Banerjee, A., Duflo, E., & Qian, N. (2012). On the road: Access to transportation infrastructure
and economic growth in China. Working Paper.
Baum-Snow, N. (2014). Did highways cause suburbanization? Quarterly Journal of Economics,
122 (2), 775–805
Blue Ribbon Panel on Bridge and Tunnel Security, & United States of America. (2003). Recommendations for Bridge and Tunnel Security.
Hopwood, I. I., & Oka, V. G. (2013). Fatigue Analysis of the I-75 Bridge over the Kentucky River at Clays Ferry.
Kim, T. H., Lee, K. M., Yoon, C., & Shin, H. M. (2003). Inelastic behavior and ductility capacity of reinforced concrete bridge piers under earthquake. I: Theory and formulation. Journal of Structural Engineering, 129(9), 1199-1207.
Pigman, J. G., Agent, K. R., & Weber, J. (2012). Evaluation of Condition-Responsive Work Zone Traffic Controls at the I-75 Clays Ferry Bridge.