I-65 downtown crossing

iBallasticwolf2 · July 06, 2015, 07:11:25 PM

I saw one mention on the I-265 bridge thread that there isn't an downtown crossing thread so I thought I might as well make one.
Downtown crossing website- http://kyinbridges.com/downtown-crossing/

I must say the progress on this bridge is impressive and the timeline for the project.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=znSaLzIHdNRA.kl8iLFHgWij8
Quite alot of construction going on!

roadman65 · July 06, 2015, 07:33:26 PM

Another cantilever bridge bites the dust!

tdindy88 · July 06, 2015, 08:09:55 PM

That one's going to stay. The new bridge will carry northbound traffic only while the current bridge will be southbound only.

iBallasticwolf2 · July 06, 2015, 11:02:47 PM

Quote from: tdindy88 on July 06, 2015, 08:09:55 PM
That one's going to stay. The new bridge will carry northbound traffic only while the current bridge will be southbound only.

The existing bridge will also be redecked when the new bridge is opened. So the bridge will stay for quite a while.

NWI_Irish96 · July 07, 2015, 07:47:48 AM

Quote from: iBallasticwolf2 on July 06, 2015, 11:02:47 PM
Quote from: tdindy88 on July 06, 2015, 08:09:55 PM
That one's going to stay. The new bridge will carry northbound traffic only while the current bridge will be southbound only.

The existing bridge will also be redecked when the new bridge is opened. So the bridge will stay for quite a while.

Yes, the current plan is for the new bridge to be finished by the end of the year. Then all NB and SB traffic will be shifted to the new bridge. The existing bridge will be closed for a year for repair, and then by the end of next year the final arrangement of SB traffic on the existing bridge and NB traffic on the new bridge should be in place.

iBallasticwolf2 · July 07, 2015, 08:55:33 AM

This will look quite good when finished. I must say even the original Kennedy Bridge looks really good in this picture.

Henry · July 07, 2015, 11:44:22 AM

I think it would be interesting to see a cantilever and cable-stayed bridge side-by-side. And yes, that is an awesome rendition of the finished product.

hbelkins · July 07, 2015, 03:34:39 PM

Huge waste of money. I will go to my grave saying so. What they should have done was ban through trucks inside the bypasses (265 southbound, 264 northbound) and use lots of signage to direct, through strong persuasion and frequent messaging, through passenger vehicle traffic to the East End Bridge and/or Sherman Minton Bridge.

iBallasticwolf2 · July 07, 2015, 04:37:17 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on July 07, 2015, 03:34:39 PM
Huge waste of money. I will go to my grave saying so. What they should have done was ban through trucks inside the bypasses (265 southbound, 264 northbound) and use lots of signage to direct, through strong persuasion and frequent messaging, through passenger vehicle traffic to the East End Bridge and/or Sherman Minton Bridge.

I do agree 6 lanes in each direction is overkill but it does cater for future traffic and redirecting traffic to other bridges does put alot of pressure on them. However I do agree having a ban of through truck traffic within the beltways. With the partial outer and inner beltways and two bypass crossings I think it would be possible.

thefro · July 08, 2015, 01:23:14 PM

Spaghetti Junction needed to be fixed given all the wrecks regardless of whether they built a new bridge or not.

Not sure if the story is true, but I always heard when I worked in Louisville that the designer of those interchanges downtown was a first-time freeway designer. Supposedly the banking on the exits is messed up to where if a fully loaded semi goes through there full speed, they are prone to tip over.

vtk · July 09, 2015, 12:42:38 AM

Quote from: thefro on July 08, 2015, 01:23:14 PM
Spaghetti Junction needed to be fixed given all the wrecks regardless of whether they built a new bridge or not.

Not sure if the story is true, but I always heard when I worked in Louisville that the designer of those interchanges downtown was a first-time freeway designer. Supposedly the banking on the exits is messed up to where if a fully loaded semi goes through there full speed, they are prone to tip over.

I think the same things can be said of most interchanges built at that time.

tidecat · July 10, 2015, 09:35:20 PM

Has a new firm been chosen to handle the tolling? I seem to remember the previous one was dismissed.

NWI_Irish96 · October 27, 2015, 09:25:24 AM

Update on this project: Sometime last week, the last piece of bridge deck connecting the two sides was put into place. The new bridge is expected to be open by Christmas. For approximately a year, the new bridge will carry both north and southbound traffic while repairs are made to the existing bridge. By the end of 2016, both bridges are expected to be open with the new bridge carrying northbound traffic and the existing bridge carrying southbound traffic.

Speaking from personal experience, trying to cross the Ohio River on 65 is not recommended weekdays between 7-9:30 am or 3:30-6 pm.

ATLRedSoxFan · November 30, 2015, 06:47:17 PM

WHAS just posted an article on Facebook that the new bridge will designated the "Abraham Lincoln Bridge". I would post the link, but my tablet will not let me.

CtrlAltDel · November 30, 2015, 06:49:51 PM

When do the tolls start?

ATLRedSoxFan · November 30, 2015, 07:00:35 PM

My understanding is late 2016. According to Google, anyway.

NWI_Irish96 · December 01, 2015, 09:07:11 AM

Quote from: CtrlAltDel on November 30, 2015, 06:49:51 PM
When do the tolls start?

The tolls are supposed to start when, or shortly after both bridges are fully open near the end of 2016.

This Saturday the bridge contractor is hosting an event that will allow people to walk across the nearly-completed bridge before it opens to traffic in a few weeks.

NWI_Irish96 · December 03, 2015, 12:40:24 PM

Northbound I-65 traffic will shift onto the new (Lincoln) bridge Monday 12/7 no later than 5am. Southbound traffic will shift later in the month, no specific date yet.

tidecat · December 05, 2015, 02:24:51 PM

Approximately 30,000 people participated in #walkthebridge today.

tdindy88 · December 05, 2015, 07:53:12 PM

Noticed there was Clearview signage on the Indiana side of the bridge based on the photos from the Courier-Journal. I know the bridge is being built by Kentucky so I figured that was the reason, I wonder how far the Clearview extends into the state. And since Indiana is doing the East End Bridge, will Highway Gothic be found on the Kentucky side of the bridge up to US 42?

NWI_Irish96 · December 07, 2015, 08:54:49 AM

Quote from: tdindy88 on December 05, 2015, 07:53:12 PM
Noticed there was Clearview signage on the Indiana side of the bridge based on the photos from the Courier-Journal. I know the bridge is being built by Kentucky so I figured that was the reason, I wonder how far the Clearview extends into the state. And since Indiana is doing the East End Bridge, will Highway Gothic be found on the Kentucky side of the bridge up to US 42?

I will probably drive the new bridge sometime this week so I'll let you know. I don't generally pay much attention to fonts, but I'll try to this time. My guess would be that all signs on the actual bridge are from KYTC and once the end of the bridge is reached the signage becomes INDOT.

NWI_Irish96 · December 07, 2015, 12:03:43 PM

Quote from: cabiness42 on December 07, 2015, 08:54:49 AM
Quote from: tdindy88 on December 05, 2015, 07:53:12 PM
Noticed there was Clearview signage on the Indiana side of the bridge based on the photos from the Courier-Journal. I know the bridge is being built by Kentucky so I figured that was the reason, I wonder how far the Clearview extends into the state. And since Indiana is doing the East End Bridge, will Highway Gothic be found on the Kentucky side of the bridge up to US 42?

I will probably drive the new bridge sometime this week so I'll let you know. I don't generally pay much attention to fonts, but I'll try to this time. My guess would be that all signs on the actual bridge are from KYTC and once the end of the bridge is reached the signage becomes INDOT.

Drove the new bridge at lunch and can confirm that the signage on the bridge is in one font and the signage beginning at the sign right at the Court Ave exit is a different font.

Also, there is a change for people who enter 65 NB/64/71 from Muhammad Ali Blvd. You used to have to get left to get I-65 NB and stay right to get 64/71. Now it's the opposite. Left for 64/71 and right for 65 NB.

hbelkins · December 07, 2015, 02:58:32 PM

WHAS posted a video showing someone driving from what appeared to be Hospital Curve north across the new bridge. I'm guessing that the ramp configuration from Muhammad Ali is temporary, since there's an express/"local" setup on northbound 65 now (and I put "local" in quotations because the only exit is to the interstates, and the lane for westbound I-64/St. Louis is also for northbound I-65.

MrDisco99 · December 07, 2015, 05:20:37 PM

So many things wrong with this...

If you're gonna build a new bridge, I think aesthetically it should match the old one. Not sure what the cost difference would have been to build a second cantilever, but I think the parallel cable stay and cantilever spans look awkward.

And tolls? How much, and for how long? That should be settled and legislated if necessary to ensure that it will eventually be free again, especially for an interstate highway. I think with the exception of grandfathered turnpikes and crossings in the northeast, the interstate system should be free, as this was the original intent.

Limiting truck traffic to the bypass could help, but I don't know if that would've loosened up traffic enough to lessen the need for more lanes. Signage would have little impact since everyone navigates via GPS and Google maps now.

noelbotevera · December 07, 2015, 08:12:31 PM

I love how Kentucky and Indiana literally leave I-69 in the dust and just go "OMG OMG WE MUST WASTE MONEY ON I-65!!!11!!!!11!!!11111". This is a wrong thing to do in my opinion, people have been waiting years for the bridge to be built, and plus, how will this loosen up traffic? It's all based on the Kennedy Interchange, which should be redesigned at the same time as this one.

News:

I-65 downtown crossing