Pike County officials say FEMA funding uncertain for Palm Creek Bridge after inspections find structural damage

Pike County Judge Jones and county road supervisors told residents at the fiscal court meeting that the low-water Palm Creek Bridge has documented structural problems and that any full replacement is unlikely without FEMA funding.

The county judge said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) engineers and FEMA have inspected the structure and that KYTC issued a closure notice requiring the county to submit a plan of action within 30 days or close the bridge to avoid loss of state and federal funding. Road supervisor Fabian summarized inspection findings, saying the bridge’s box beams show longitudinal and transverse cracking, the tension rods and some steel anchorage into the bedrock show substantial thickness loss from rust, and several piers have substructure damage that cannot be rehabilitated.

The technical findings matter because they affect which costs FEMA will consider eligible. Fabian said a conservative local estimate to rebuild the low-water bridge is about $3,000,000; FEMA historically pays 75% of eligible costs, with the state and county covering the remainder, leaving…