Ohio River Bridges Project

Kentucky, Walsh Construction Officials Hold Bridges Project Forum This Week

Devin Katayama — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:47:27 +0000

Louisville-area residents will have a chance to discuss construction and traffic issues this week with Kentucky officials and the contractor group hired to design and build the new downtown bridge as part of the Ohio River Bridges Project.

Construction of Downtown Louisville Bridge to Begin July 1

Joseph Lord — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:57:41 +0000

Construction is scheduled to begin July 1 new downtown Louisville bridge running parallel to the Kennedy, The Ohio River Bridges Project announced.

The bridge is expected to open in three years.

Pre-construction work—such as surveys, test boring and building removal—will be increasing in the next few weeks. The Ohio River Bridges Project adds:

Pre-construction and construction activities that residents and commuters will see between now and July include:

New Filing in Bridges Lawsuit Says Greenhouse Gases Should Be Considered

Erica Peterson — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 19:46:07 +0000

A Louisville non-profit has filed to amend its pending lawsuit against the Ohio River Bridges Project, arguing the federal government should have taken greenhouse gases into consideration.

Legislation Would Reimburse Low-Income Kentuckians for Bridge Tolls on Commute

Gabe Bullard — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 19:54:25 +0000

Low-income Kentuckians who work in other states would be exempt from paying bridge tolls under a new bill filed in the General Assembly.

House Bill 129 would allow any Kentuckian who commutes across state lines and who qualify for the earned income tax credit to seek reimbursement for tolls they pay going to and from work.

Interstates in Louisville: An Oral History

Gabe Bullard — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 +0000

As the Ohio River Bridges Project moves slowly forward, and as the opposition shows no signs of weakening, WFPL takes a look back at the first time highways were built in Louisville.

In this oral history, our experts recount a story of urban destruction, power plays, citizen activism and the pursuit of progress. The guests are:

New York Times Calls Downtown Bridge Plan "Out of Step"

Gabe Bullard — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:56:06 +0000

Louisville's annual IdeaFestival draws top thinkers to the city. Ideally, it gets people talking about the city as well. This year's festival did just that, but the most recent chatter isn't entirely flattering.

As Ground is Broken, River Fields Continues Bridges Fight

Gabe Bullard — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:57:34 +0000

Officials from Kentucky, Indiana and the federal government are celebrating what they call the start of construction on the long-planned Ohio River Bridges Project. But a preservation group will continue its fight against a portion of the plan.

Bridge Groundbreaking: Who Sets the Tolls?

Brad Yost — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 19:02:48 +0000

Next week, a ceremonial groundbreaking will be held for a road extension in Clark County, Indiana. The three million dollar contract is among the first for the Ohio River Bridges Project, which after more than 40 years of study, debate, and untold public hearings is moving forward. The project of course includes a new East End bridge, with construction overseen by Indiana. The Kentucky-managed part of the project includes a new downtown bridge and the reworking of Spaghetti Junction.

Yarmuth Addresses ORBP Approval

Phillip M. Bailey — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 23:30:00 +0000

U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky., addressed final approval of the $2.6 billion Ohio River Bridges Project by the federal government.

The Federal Highway Administration announced Wednesday it will allow Kentucky and Indiana to charge motorists a fee to use Interstate-65 (Kennedy Bridge) and the two new spans that are schedule to be built.

Details on tolling are still being worked out, but Yarmuth sidestepped that portion of the press release and rather focused on looking forward to the first phase.

From Yarmuth's office:

"This is the final signature needed from the federal government to begin construction of the Bridges Project," Yarmuth said. "I received personal assurances from Transportation Secretary LaHood and President Obama that the federal approval process would be expedited, and they have followed through on those commitments. Nothing else stands in the way of construction, and I look forward to breaking ground on the East End Bridge later this month."

Federal Government Approves Tolls for Bridges Project

Gabe Bullard — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 20:53:31 +0000

The federal government has approved the tolling plan for the Ohio River Bridges Project.

This means the project has cleared its final federal hurdle, and tolls may be placed on the new East End Bridge, the new downtown bridge and the existing Interstate 65 span.