I-69 Ohio River Bridge

[triplemultiplex]

(note: due to the persnickety river refusing to stay in their legally defined place over the past two centuries,    this Indiana part of the road doesn't actually make it all the way to the Ohio River)

Silly Kentucky couldn't be satisfied with a boundary in the middle of the river; they wanted that far bank for some reason.  Daniel Boone must have liked islands.

[Alex]

Google Maps has been updated to show construction of future Interstate 69 in Kentucky north of US 41: https://www.google.com/maps/@37.8478746,-87.5618769,1475m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu. It's not much, but it's a start.

Visible construction as of yesterday (02-19-24):

[abqtraveler]

Google Maps has been updated to show construction of future Interstate 69 in Kentucky north of US 41: https://www.google.com/maps/@37.8478746,-87.5618769,1475m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu. It's not much, but it's a start.

Visible construction as of yesterday (02-19-24):

What site is this imagery from?

[KelleyCook]

What site is this imagery from?

I, too, saw that yesterday and needed to go find it.

https://browser.dataspace.copernicus.eu

Create an account, browse to your hearts content.

[sprjus4]

What site is this imagery from?

I, too, saw that yesterday and needed to go find it.

https://browser.dataspace.copernicus.eu

Create an account, browse to your hearts content.

Do note though, I don't believe you can zoom further in than that picture shows, without it getting blurrier.

It is great though for new highway construction projects like this, however.

[ITB]

The ORX Project website has a great videos and photos page that is kept fairly up to date. The photos are uncaptioned, but for those familiar with the area, it  shouldn't be difficult to figure out what's happening where.

Here's a couple of recent videos which include snippets of drone footage:

Starting the I-69 Connection

A Year of Progress

[wriddle082]

(note: due to the persnickety river refusing to stay in their legally defined place over the past two centuries,    this Indiana part of the road doesn't actually make it all the way to the Ohio River)

Silly Kentucky couldn't be satisfied with a boundary in the middle of the river; they wanted that far bank for some reason.  Daniel Boone must have liked islands.

The establishment of that border goes back to when Kentucky was still part of Virginia.  Same deal with West Virginia's border with Ohio.

[abqtraveler]

(note: due to the persnickety river refusing to stay in their legally defined place over the past two centuries,    this Indiana part of the road doesn't actually make it all the way to the Ohio River)

Silly Kentucky couldn't be satisfied with a boundary in the middle of the river; they wanted that far bank for some reason.  Daniel Boone must have liked islands.

That situation is not unique to the Ohio River and the border between states that were formerly part of Virginia and their adjacent neighbors. The border between Vermont and New Hampshire has a similar situation, where the border between the two states lies on the right (west) bank of the Connecticut River, rather than in the middle of the main river channel.

The establishment of that border goes back to when Kentucky was still part of Virginia.  Same deal with West Virginia's border with Ohio.

[Moose]

(note: due to the persnickety river refusing to stay in their legally defined place over the past two centuries,    this Indiana part of the road doesn't actually make it all the way to the Ohio River)

Silly Kentucky couldn't be satisfied with a boundary in the middle of the river; they wanted that far bank for some reason.  Daniel Boone must have liked islands.

That situation is not unique to the Ohio River and the border between states that were formerly part of Virginia and their adjacent neighbors. The border between Vermont and New Hampshire has a similar situation, where the border between the two states lies on the right (west) bank of the Connecticut River, rather than in the middle of the main river channel.

The establishment of that border goes back to when Kentucky was still part of Virginia.  Same deal with West Virginia's border with Ohio.

Yep, and is resulted in Green River Island (which is no longer an Island) having a Horse Track and betting..  well well before Indiana would approve any such thing.

And its the only place I know of that Indiana and Kentucky having a road crossible (non bridge) land border. 41 may have a bridge there, but there are a couple gravel roads to the east where you can cross Indiana to Kentucky without crossing a bridge.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Some of the I-69 construction around Henderson is now (just barely) visible on Google maps...

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.8516721,-87.5605887,2706m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu

You can see the outline of the future US 41 interchange.

[Sapphuby]

If you use Copernicus browser you can see much more construction going on than what Google Maps shows. It's quite helpful.

[Alex]

What site is this imagery from?

I, too, saw that yesterday and needed to go find it.

https://browser.dataspace.copernicus.eu

Create an account, browse to your hearts content.

Do note though, I don't believe you can zoom further in than that picture shows, without it getting blurrier.

It is great though for new highway construction projects like this, however.

Glad you guys figured out where to view the Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. The imagery is 30 m spatial resolution, so you can only get so much detail. But it is a good resource because of its temporal frequency.

I learned of the Copernicus program in the remote sensing class I took in the Fall. If you create an account on the website you can download high resolution imagery, which occasionally can result in files sized at 8000 pixels in width. It is not really any clearer than what you see on the viewer though.

[Captain Jack]

At the new I-69 - US 41 interchange in Henderson, northbound US 41 traffic will be shifted to the new roadway this week, while southbound should follow next week.

https://www.14news.com/2024/05/28/henderson-traffic/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2YRdAp8GO-cJxvdDRSdB-GVEMb1i2Cqv9UKBKKTfE8qdMXeD1sEsbE5E8_aem_ARX0rP8fQO5HWxYRyNl88Jt-7YJd554qnnJ_JkbdgL1t9G3qvdA4vIx2DIqk6j3-83dsLO74VuIKMX2jgI9uf56p

[Henry]

Now that I-69 in the Indianapolis area is getting very close to being completed, all the focus should soon shift to the ORX. Aside from the approaches leading to the bridge, are there any updates as to when it'll be built, and what the final design will be? (I'm thinking a tied-arch span would be great for this location, as cable-stayed would be overkill.)

[Rick Powell]

The toll bridge is supposed to start in 2027 and be completed in 2032. The approaches on both sides should be done before the bridge work starts. If the project is delivered by an alternative delivery such as Design-Build or Design-Build-Operate-Finance-Maintain, the contractor may be free to propose whatever bridge type that will make the contractor the most money, reduce risk, allow for better ease of construction, save time, etc. while still serving the purpose and meeting the performance specs.
Lots of info at https://i69ohiorivercrossing.com

[The Ghostbuster]

Once the Interstate 69 Ohio River Bridge is completed, I would like the remainder of present-day Interstate 69 west to US 41 to become an extension of the Veterans Memorial Parkway, instead of a 3di such as Interstate 169. Also, I think interchange at US 41 should also be reconfigured, since its existing configuration will probably be overkill once the Interstate 69 bridge is completed.

[jnewkirk77]

Once the Interstate 69 Ohio River Bridge is completed, I would like the remainder of present-day Interstate 69 west to US 41 to become an extension of the Veterans Memorial Parkway, instead of a 3di such as Interstate 169. Also, I think interchange at US 41 should also be reconfigured, since its existing configuration will probably be overkill once the Interstate 69 bridge is completed.

I don't know that there's been any discussion of the 41 interchange, but I wouldn't anticipate major changes to it unless the cost is minimal. 

I'm with you on extending the Veterans Memorial Parkway designation, and I'd go a step further: Extend it at the other end, too, along Riverside and Fulton up to the Lloyd.

[sprjus4]

Once the Interstate 69 Ohio River Bridge is completed, I would like the remainder of present-day Interstate 69 west to US 41 to become an extension of the Veterans Memorial Parkway, instead of a 3di such as Interstate 169. Also, I think interchange at US 41 should also be reconfigured, since its existing configuration will probably be overkill once the Interstate 69 bridge is completed.

I don't know that there's been any discussion of the 41 interchange, but I wouldn't anticipate major changes to it unless the cost is minimal. 

I'm with you on extending the Veterans Memorial Parkway designation, and I'd go a step further: Extend it at the other end, too, along Riverside and Fulton up to the Lloyd.

Riverside Dr feels like a more fitting road name for a roadway around the waterfront near Downtown... not "Veterans Memorial Parkway".

[jnewkirk77]

Once the Interstate 69 Ohio River Bridge is completed, I would like the remainder of present-day Interstate 69 west to US 41 to become an extension of the Veterans Memorial Parkway, instead of a 3di such as Interstate 169. Also, I think interchange at US 41 should also be reconfigured, since its existing configuration will probably be overkill once the Interstate 69 bridge is completed.

I don't know that there's been any discussion of the 41 interchange, but I wouldn't anticipate major changes to it unless the cost is minimal. 

I'm with you on extending the Veterans Memorial Parkway designation, and I'd go a step further: Extend it at the other end, too, along Riverside and Fulton up to the Lloyd.

Riverside Dr feels like a more fitting road name for a roadway around the waterfront near Downtown... not "Veterans Memorial Parkway".

I never said it wasn't, but for continuity's sake, I've just always thought it should be. If they didn't want to change the actual street name, they could perhaps sign it as the Parkway, sort of like a highway designation.

[edwaleni]

Has a date been set for the bridge layout and design?

Other than 2027 for construction, I don't see a design release date.

[ITB]

Has a date been set for the bridge layout and design?

Other than 2027 for construction, I don't see a design release date.

Construction of Section 2, i.e., the actual bridge, will probably involve a design-build contract. If so, until the contract is awarded, the type of bridge that will be built and its design specifics, may not be released. It's possible that prior to awarding the contract INDOT will hold public meetings to present various bridge options and to receive feedback.

Also, it's worth mentioning that both INDOT and KYTC are pursuing federal grants to speed up the construction time frame. If something big comes through in the next six months or so, we'll probably see construction kick off in late 2025 or early 2026.
 

[silverback1065]

I wouldn't put it past INDOT to get rid of 41 between 64 and veterans  but that stub I believe isn't going to be a numbered highway, it will just be called Veterans Memorial Parkway

[abqtraveler]

Now that I-69 in the Indianapolis area is getting very close to being completed, all the focus should soon shift to the ORX. Aside from the approaches leading to the bridge, are there any updates as to when it'll be built, and what the final design will be? (I'm thinking a tied-arch span would be great for this location, as cable-stayed would be overkill.)

Last fall, Indiana and Kentucky applied for a $632 million federal grant to jumpstart construction on the bridge, but their application didn't make the cut. So as of right now, construction is projected to start in 2027 and be completed in 2031. Indiana will start building the northern approach, Section 3 (grading, drainage, and structures only) this summer, but I haven't seen anything on specific date for groundbreaking. From what I've previously read, final paving and signage for the Indiana approach will be completed under the bridge contract (Section 2).

[ITB]

Last fall, Indiana and Kentucky applied for a $632 million federal grant to jumpstart construction on the bridge, but their application didn't make the cut. So as of right now, construction is projected to start in 2027 and be completed in 2031. Indiana will start building the northern approach, Section 3 (grading, drainage, and structures only) this summer, but I haven't seen anything on specific date for groundbreaking. From what I've previously read, final paving and signage for the Indiana approach will be completed under the bridge contract (Section 2).

If possible, would you please provide a source regarding the denial of the $632 grant application. I've searched and searched to no avail.

What has been showing up is a $5.1 billion USDOT funding announcement for the MPDG Program, in which applications were due May 6, 2024. Could Indiana and Kentucky jointly resubmit their application? They would probably do so if that was allowed. I have little idea whether that's possible or not, as my knowledge of federal grant regulations is extremely limited.

[edwaleni]

Here is hoping that the blanket promise to replace the Key Bridge in Maryland doesn't suck the wind out of any grant funded bridge projects in the rest of the US over the next 5 years. That is not so much a criticism, its more a response to how many of DOT's schedule their projects over time and they get disrupted by an extremely large and unplanned redirection of funding.