LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Since the Sherman Minton Renewal Project started in mid-2021, hundreds of complaints have been filed for things falling from the bridge and damaging cars.

More than 300 of those complaints are about slurry, or paint, falling onto cars as they were crossing the bridge. 

For the past two-and-a-half years, Katie Evans said she's tried to avoid the bridge entirely. But a crash on Interstate 65 left her with no other choice, and she had to take the Sherman Minton to get into Louisville. As soon as she drove over, Evans said something spilled from the top deck.

"I could see gray liquid pouring from the top deck onto the lower deck, no way to avoid it," Evans said. 

While it was determined that liquid as slurry, that wasn't all.

"Then as soon as I came out of that, something hit my windshield so hard it sparked right in front of my face," she said.

Evans got a car wash voucher and was told the company, Kokosing Construction Company, wasn't responsible for the damage.

"I was hoping this company would take accountability," she said. "You know, you can't just let debris fall on cars and then say 'Well, we didn't cause that damage.' That's just not right."

Evans said it's not as simple as a fix. There was something gritty in whatever spilled onto her car and chipped her paint. 

But she isn't alone. According to the Indiana Department of Transportation, 316 complaints have ben filed for paint or slurry since July 2021. Six of those complaints have been filed for larger debris falling. But that number could be higher. Other drivers told WDRB News it has happened to them multiple times, so they don't even bother filing a second or even third complaint.

Katie Evans Sherman Minton Bridge paint/slurry

Katie Evans' vehicle was damaged after paint/slurry fell onto it while she was crossing the Sherman Minton Bridge into Louisville. (WDRB photo/March 5, 2024)

"I think they should be held accountable for what they're doing," said Evans. "They're allowing debris to fall on cars. That's not right."

A spokesperson for the Sherman Minton Renewal Project said the contractor tries to contain the debris as much as possible but sometimes, it happens, and that a car wash usually takes care of the issue and should not affect the paint.

If problems persist, drivers are encouraged to take photos and reach out to INDOT 4U for further information by clicking here or calling 1-855-463-6848.

Additional work on the bridge project is expected to continue into late summer, but officials said most traffic restrictions should be lifted by June.

Material and labor shortages have hampered progress on major construction projects throughout the region, according to INDOT. Increased time to manufacture critical components and get them to the site have more than quadrupled, which has strained the schedule for the project.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and INDOT have worked with bridge contractor, Kokosing Construction Company, to iron out updated expectations for the project schedule. Under an amended agreement, the bridge will continue to remain open 95% of the time. The public will continue to get advance notifications about planned restrictions.

Work on Phase Four began in mid-November and includes structural steel repair and replacement, bridge painting, pavement preservation, and concrete bridge deck replacement on the final section of the top westbound deck. Traffic will remain restricted to one westbound lane on the upper deck. One westbound lane and two eastbound lanes will be open on the bottom deck.

The Sherman Minton Renewal is rehabilitating and painting the 61-year-old structure in a project that will add up to 30 years of life to the six-lane double-decked bridge that carries traffic over the Ohio River between Louisville, Kentucky and New Albany, Indiana.

To follow progress on the project, go to www.ShermanMintonRenewal.com.

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