Project Overview
PND provided comprehensive planning and design services for a new PND-proprietary OPEN CELL™ general cargo dock for the Owensboro Riverport Authority, serving as a subconsultant to W.R. Coles & Associates on this port development project along the Ohio River in Western Kentucky. The design phase was completed in 2013, after which PND provided construction support through the project’s completion. Services encompassed pile driving assessment, technical review, and construction support at every phase of the development.
The completed facility features a 220-foot-long OPEN CELL SHEET PILE™ bulkhead with four closed mooring cells that accommodate multiple barges simultaneously, including 8 acres of new storage yard area. The dock is strategically positioned above the 100-year flood stage to ensure uninterrupted year-round accessibility, which was the primary factor in the decision to supplement the older low-level dock. PND designed the structure to handle mobile cranes, heavy bulk cargo, and heavy truck traffic while accommodating barge loading/unloading operations.
The project presented unique engineering challenges due to the variable sloping shale bedrock along the riverbank. The $6.7M project was successfully completed by Smith Contractors and officially opened in October 2014. The dock surface was paved in 2023 with over an acre of concrete to help facilitate transloading operations. This project represents the second OPEN CELL bulkhead installation in Owensboro, following our unique riverwall project at Smothers Park in 2011.
Our Role
- Waterfront Engineering: provided full-service engineering, from conceptual planning to cellular structural design to construction completion
- Geotechnical Engineering: analyzed the loaded structure on the river bottom stratigraphy
- Contract Administration & Support Services: provided technical assistance through construction
- OPEN CELL SHEET PILE: designed a 220-foot-long OPEN CELL heavy-load bulkhead to accommodate multiple barges simultaneously
Moving Year-Round Bulk Cargo
The Owensboro Riverport Authority (ORA) wanted to create a reliable, year-round cargo-handling facility that would exceed the capabilities of its existing dock and significantly enhance the port’s operational capacity. The new terminal is situated on the Ohio River, the main artery for barge commerce on the inland waterway system, with optimal access to regional markets. The upgraded facility enabled ORA to handle diverse cargo such as grain, fertilizer, paper, steel coils, and aluminum ingots with improved efficiency and reliability. The PND-proprietary OPEN CELL SHEET PILE™ system provided a cost-effective solution to achieve the riverport’s goals of expanding capacity along with better material handlers.
The successful completion of this project delivered enhanced economic stability to the region by providing uninterrupted cargo-handling capabilities above flood stage levels. The facility’s improved capacity and year-round accessibility strengthened ORA’s position as a vital transportation hub for Western Kentucky’s industrial and agricultural communities.
Length of dock frontage
OCSP™ wall built 1 foot above 100-year flood stage
Mooring dolphins
