KYTC Minute - May 26, 2011

This week's video features Kentucky Transportation Cabinet crews working to reopen a road that was closed because of a landslide during this spring's unusually heavy rains. It's a scene still playing out in many counties across Kentucky. Crews had to focus on public safety while floodwaters were rising. But many crews are turning to the massive job of cleaning up, now that flood water is receding. This shows crews and equipment clearing mud and trees from Kentucky 420 which is just off the East-West Connector in Frankfort. They used portable lights in order to work through the night. Slide cleanup work like this continued even as crews monitored other state roads still closed due to high water. Once roads are clear of mud, debris or water, crews are able to remove barricades and reopen routes to traffic. This slide was repaired and traffic was flowing again on Kentucky 420 within four days. Assessment of the damage to roads and bridges is now under way in most of Kentucky's 12 highway districts. The final total is expected to be in the tens of millions of dollars.