Other buildings to follow

Staff Reporter

The first indication to the people of Hazard that the new Home Lumber bridge is imminent was seen Saturday morning as crews demolished the Baker's Market building on the lower end of Main Street.

Crews worked to bring down the vacant building which once housed Halcomb's Shoe Store earlier this year, but the Baker's building, which had been in Hazard for many years, marked the first structure on Main Street to be torn down to make way for the new bridge.

“We're getting pretty close to the time when the bridge will be built,” said Hazard Mayor Bill Gorman. Gorman noted that other buildings, such as the old Curtis Mathes building and the old liquor store behind it, will also be demolished to make room for the bridge.

H.B. Elkins, information officer for the District 10 office of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, said the schedule for the new bridge has not changed and a letting date of later this year is still on tap.

Elkins further noted that standard procedure dictates that structures which have been purchased and are in the way of construction will be torn down well in advance of any actual construction.