NR 16-013: Surface drainage correction requires lane closure on Highway 127 across Wolf Creek Dam

Jamestown, Ky. (May 20, 2016) – During a road restoration project on Highway 127 over Wolf Creek Dam, contractors found a pocket of voids on Monday at the edge of the roadway, the result of surface drainage erosion.  The Corps’ engineers have been on site since then to determine the most efficient and timely solution in order to reduce the extended lane closures currently in effect for the project.

"While the road side erosion won’t affect the dam or the lake, it will affect traffic during a busy season, especially now that school is out and more people will be enjoying the lake.  I want to make sure people know what the Corps is doing when they see the work and for them to know that we’re working quickly to fix the issue,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Murphy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District commander. 

The Nashville District operates Lake Cumberland and Wolf Creek Dam. Highway 127 across the dam has been restricted to one lane traffic since May 10 due to the current road restoration work, but even with the additional work required to repair the erosion the Corps does not anticipate further restrictions to the flow of traffic beyond the current one lane closure. The original project has a completion of Sept. 27, but this additional work will likely extend that by a few weeks.

“The additional work will likely require the removal of parts of the concrete slab located beneath the affected part of the roadway,” said Vanessa Bateman, Nashville District Civil Design Branch chief.  “With this kind of issue we normally backfill the voids with concrete or another suitable material to close the void and prevent runoff and future erosion problems.  We really appreciate the public’s patience because this couldn’t have happened during a busier time for Lake Cumberland."

(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps, and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps.  The public can also follow Lake Cumberland on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/lakecumberland.)