Daviess County Judge-executive Al Mattingly has signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency for the Panther Creek bridge on KY 81 after it was severely damaged on Thursday.
The state of emergency allows him to waive procedures and formalities otherwise required by law pertaining to things like entering into contracts, employing workers and renting equipment. The County can also request federal assistance as required dealing with the rehabilitation.
The Panther Creek bridge is indefinitely closed after the structure was hit by an oversized load that damaged every crossmember along the top on Thursday. Traffic on KY 81 will be routed along a marked detour.
The full executive order reads as follows:
DECLARATION OF A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY IN DAVIESS COUNTY, KENTUCKY
WHEREAS, on May 21, 2020, the KY 81 bridge over Panther Creek in Daviess County, Kentucky was closed due to severe damage caused when all bridge trusses were struck by an unknown vehicle; and
WHEREAS, the closure was a result from an engineering analysis that showed the damage was too severe to the bridge to allow vehicular traffic; and
WHEREAS, this situation creates a considerable hardship for citizens of Daviess and surrounding counties and poses safety concerns; and
WHEREAS, local government has the responsibility to protect the public health, safety, and welfare and to mitigate the effects of such events; and
NOW, THEREFORE, I Al Mattingly, Daviess County Judge/Executive, by authority vested in me by KRS 39A.100 (2), declare Daviess County to be in a State of Emergency, and direct that:
1. Under this State of Emergency, as provided in KRS 39A.100 (2) and 45A.380(1)(7), the County Judge/Executive can waive procedures and formalities otherwise required by law pertaining to
- performance of public work
- entering into contracts
- incurring obligations
- employment of permanent and temporary workers
- utilization of volunteer workers
- rental of equipment
- appropriation and expenditure of public fund
2. Daviess County request State and Federal assistance as required dealing with the rehabilitation of the KY 81 Bridge over Panther Creek.
