AASHTO Journal, 21 June 2013
State officials from Indiana and Kentucky joined federal officials and community members Tuesday to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Ohio River Bridges Project’s Downtown Crossing, which will provide a new link over the Ohio River for the two states.
The $1.3 billion project will include a new bridge that will carry six lanes of northbound traffic and rehabilitate the existing Kennedy Bridge, which will be carry six lanes of southbound traffic. The project is expected to relieve congestion and improve safety for drivers once it is completed in 2017. The Downtown Crossing makes up roughly half of the entire $2.58 billion Ohio River Bridges project, which creates bridge and highway connections near Prospect, Kentucky, and Utica, Indiana, in order complete a modern, outer highway loop around the area.
“Every morning, thousands of Southern Indiana commuters battle some of the state’s most congested roads and bridges to reach their workplaces across the Ohio River,” said Indiana Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner of Innovative Project Delivery Jim Stark at the event (see a video of the event on IndyStar.com). “We can be proud that Indiana and Kentucky have come together to accomplish something that will benefit both states, and that all begins today.”
Kentucky Gov. Jerry Bershear also spoke of the partnership between the two states and what it means for the area.
“Bridges and highways link more than just two banks of a river,” said Kentucky Gov. Steve Bershear in a statement. “They connect people and create possibilities. They keep commerce flowing and jobs growing. They preserve our way of life and promise a better tomorrow.”
Additional information on the Ohio River Bridges project is available here.
