Tagged: bridges

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.

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.

The Federal Highway Administration has signed off on the latest record of decision for the Ohio River Bridges Project.

The new approval became necessary early last year, when Mayor Greg Fischer, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels changed the project to cut the cost from $4.1 billion to $2.6 billion. The approval brings the start of construction one step closer.

Still remaining is an agreement to toll the existing Interstate 65 and the selection of firms to build the two bridges.