Martin Marietta Plans Barge Loading/Unloading Facility On Ohio River

Martin Marietta Materials plans to construct a barge loading/unloading facility along the left bank of the Ohio River at Mile 496, near Petersburg in Boone County, Ky.

The filing for the regulatory permit notes it is a modification to a public notice first published in March.

Martin Marietta now plans to install two barge ties, two deadmen, a permanent work barge with two, 24-inch-diameter spud piles and an aerial conveyor system with four, 20-inch-diameter conveyor bracing piles.

The fleeting area would extend a maximum of 200 feet riverward for 1,000 feet along the left (Kentucky) bank of the Ohio River in order to accommodate three barges in a one barge wide by three barge long configuration.

A fleeting area the length of 1,000 feet would be required to position barges at the work barge for loading and/or unloading purposes, Martin Marietta said in its application. Barges would be moved with a winch system without the use of a tugboat. Therefore, the positioning of barges may be two barge lengths (approximately 200 feet each) upstream or downstream of the work barge.

No more than three barges would be moored at any given time, but the position of the fleet would be based on which barge was being loaded or unloaded, Martin Marietta said.

Barges would be moored at the facility daily and operations would be conducted Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The proposed conveyor system would transport sand, gravel and other construction aggregates to and from the barges at the existing Martin Marietta Materials facility.