1940 Glover Cary Bridge over Ohio River at Owensboro, KY

(Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

The official name is Owensboro Bridge. A common name is the Blue Bridge. This bridge used to carry US-231 across the Ohio, but US-231 was moved to a cable-stay bridge northeast of this town in 2002.

LC-DIG-highsm- 63937
Credit line: Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
Carol M. Highsmith's photographs are in the public domain.

Street View

Street View

Some of the photos in Bridge Hunter show that the bridge was getting brown (rust) in places. I'm glad to see that it now has a fresh coat of paint. Nathan Holth comments in Bridge Hunter that the deck was replaced in 2011.

 

Jeff Ratledge posted
Today just before sunset, taken at the Riverfront park in Owensboro Ky.

This is the post that brought this big truss bridge to my attention.

RiverWorks Discovery posted three photos with the comment: "Northbound on the Ohio at Owensboro heading towards the Glover H. Cary 'Blue Bridge' and its changing light display on Evansville Marine's M/V Angie A.   Courtesy of Capt Steven Fancher."

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Tommy Matusz posted
Owensboro Grain Dock.
[I was going to crop this photo until I realized that the sun and its reflection was probably the intended subject of the photo.]

2025 TVA Flood: See Pickwick Lock_2025 for more information about the weather event.

I saw a post that said the river was really "angry," but they did not have a photo.

noaa

April 2025 Flood:

1:25 video

UPDATE 5:12 p.m.- The Blue Bridge is back open.

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Thursday Update (4/10/25):

Here’s a fresh look at the riverfront from earlier today before this afternoon’s rain rolled into Owensboro. The Ohio River is still on the rise, so closures around Smothers Park and Veterans Boulevard remain in effect.

What’s closed:

Veterans Blvd. and Smothers Park from Allen to Frederica St., including the Riverwalk from Allen to around McConnell Plaza.

What’s open:

Downtown hotels, restaurants, stores, the Convention Center, and other businesses are still open and ready to welcome you!

We’ll continue keeping an eye on the water and will share.

[According to some comments, the bridge was closed because of the Indiana side.]

April 10 was near the peak of this flood of this flood.

noaa

June 2025:

The Owensboro Police Scanner posted
Bridge will be closed 90 days over the summer
https://www.owensborotimes.com/.../owensboro-bridge.../...

AP Imagery posted

** BRIDGE CLOSING **

The "Blue Bridge" in downtown Owensboro will temporarily close for 90 days beginning after July 4 for major repairs, including a full bridge deck replacement. Preliminary lane closures will occur June 9–11 with one lane remaining open. The closure, originally planned for six months, was shortened to reduce traffic disruption. The 7,200-vehicle-a-day span will reopen around early October, with full completion expected by November. 

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, District 2 posted

Daviess County Fiscal Court posted eight photos with the comment:

Single lane closures are planned this week on the Blue Bridge, ahead of a major rehabilitation project.

The contractor will replace the aging bridge deck and perform other repairs to joints and concrete.  A full closure of the bridge is scheduled to begin after July 4.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will limit the full closure of the bridge to 90 days or less.

During the construction, crews will replace one 750-ft. long span of concrete decking while making repairs to a second span of the same length.  

Around 7,200 vehicles use the bridge every day.  Once the full closure begins in July, drivers will need to use the William H. Natcher Bridge at Maceo or cross the Ohio River at Henderson.  

Sherrie Stroud: They need to keep semi’s and big heavy vehicles off this bridge.

Mike Haney: Sherrie Stroud Ex mayor Payne tried that and found only Congress can close an interstate highway or bridge to interstate commerce.

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Sep 2025:

Dubois County Dash Camz posted

The Owensboro Blue Bridge repair project, which started in mid-July, is facing delays due to ongoing supply chain issues

According to Kentucky Transportation Officials. The initial plan was to complete the project within 90 days, but it seems that's no longer feasible. Crews are working on replacing a 750-foot-long span of concrete-filled bridge decking and repairing another span of the same length. Since the decking covers the entire bridge width, a full closure was necessary, and traffic is being detoured to the Natcher Bridge.

There is no current date that has been released for the bridge to open. When we hear of details we will share.

Dewayne O'Bryan: When the concrete deck was removed that is when they found issues with the existing beams. You can't predict those issues. Anyone who has ever been in construction knows problems will arise and delays will be encountered

Aaron Woodruff commented on the above post
Picture without decking

US-33 1981 Richie Bridge over Ohio River at Ravenswood, WV

(Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; B&T; Satellite)

The 1981 built date for this bridge explains why Historic Bridges hasn't written about this bridge. It replaced a ferry that used to run from Walnut Street. This has to be close to one of the last truss bridges built because soon after this America adopted the cable-stay design that had been developed in Europe during the rebuild after WWII. The longest span is 900'. [Bridge Hunter]

I noticed in the street views that there were very few, if any, cars on the bridge. No wonder they ran a ferry into the 1980s.

Street View

Street View

Street View

This was the post that taught me about another truss bridge that still exists in the US.

RiverWorks Discovery posted
Amherst Madison's M/V WEST VIRGINIA  southbound going under the Ritchie Bridge in Ravenswood, West Virginia on a beautiful January afternoon. Courtesy of Todd Hanson.

CR Neal commented on Dan Kemper's post
Glad to see I didn't photobomb your shot with my drone Dan Kemper.
[Dan Kemper's photo is here.]

Dan Kemper posted
M/V Barbara diagonally parked at Ravenswood for a crew change. 3/16/2021

Three of the sixteen photos posted by Shane's Snapshots with the comment: "Ingram's "W. Scott Noble" Making His Way S/B In Ravenswood, WV. He Turned William Barr!"

Shane Michael shared

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Three of the fourteen photos posted by Shane's Snapshots with the comment: "Marquette's "Charlie G" Making A Rare Run Up This Way! N/B In Ravenswood, WV. First Time Catching Him!"

Shane Michael shared

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Dan Kemper posted
AEP M/V Mariner at the great bend at Ravenswood , downbound, 11/2020.

We Work the Waterways posted

Springtime at the "Great Bend" in the Ohio River at  Ravenswood, West Virginia, during spring flooding. 

It's a striking contrast between the muddy river frim springtime flooding, and the vibrant greenery, showcasing nature's resilience amid the seasonal changes.  

Photo courtesy of Coleman Photography.

Bridges & Tunnels posted five photos with the comment:

It was a perfect evening to fly above the Ravenswood Bridge (William S. Ritchie Jr. Bridge), which carries U.S. Route 33 between Meigs County, Ohio, and Ravenswood, West Virginia. Completed in 1981 to replace a ferry crossing over the Ohio River, its future remains uncertain as Ohio moves forward with corridor-wide improvements and expansions to U.S. Route 33.

📸 More photos + history: https://bridgestunnels.com/location/ravenswood-bridge/

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Chicago Dry Dock

(Satellite)

American Shipbuilding has left Chicago. But this post taught me there is still a repair facility in Chicago. I counted four floating dry docks in the satellite image.

Robert Farrrell posted two photos with the comment: "Wish I had the damage picture. A quick repair at Chicago dry dock!"

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TPG Marine bought Chicago Dry Dock in Dec 2014.

MarineLog
"The shipyard is the only facility of its kind to offer unencumbered access to both the Great Lakes (via Lake Michigan) and the Inland River System (via the Calumet/Des Plaines/Illinois Rivers)."

I-20 Bridge over Mississippi River at Vicksburg, MS

(Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; John A. Weeks III, the eastern two piers have moved 4" laterally; Satellite)

The main span is 870' long. John Weeks calls it a continuous truss, but Bridge Hunter calls it a cantilevered truss. It is too young for Historic Bridges to cover. Since the National Bridge Inventory calls it continuous, I'm going to agree with John in terms of labelling this post "bridgeContinuous."

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John Weeks

David Garrick posted
Vicksburg last week one morning [Jan 2020]
Pat Rooney: Pretty nerve-wracking if you're pushing a load of barges though!

Screenshot
[A comment noted that the river is running low.]

Kenneth Lee Shaver posted two photos.

Steven Fancher: these are northbound pictures

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1 of 4 photos posted by We Work the Waterways

In the last week [middle of Apr 2024] the Mississippi River at Vicksburg has risen 15 feet. 

These bridges are a challenge to the best of River Pilots when it rises like this. 

Here on a beautiful Sunday morning sunrise 🌅, American River Transportation’s Company’s M/V CRIMSON GEM successfully navigates them. 

Courtesy of Pilot Allison Baley.

Shanes Snopshots posted
“I’m An Indian Outlaw”- Crounse’s Tammy Outlaw taking coal loads under the Vicksburg Bridge this evening.