I-265 Ohio River Bridge

[SP Cook]

Really? 

I have always assumed that 265 was eventually to be a complete beltway. 

Would not a completion of a "west end bridge" take yet more presure off the I-64 bridge, and also open up the rural area on the Indiana side to development?

[NWI_Irish96]

The terrain between the current west end of I-265 in Indiana and the current west end of KY 841 makes connecting the two routes very difficult, if not impossible.  That and there really isn't a need for it.  Look at what is directly across the river from the end of KY 841.  It's very, very sparsely populated and there just wouldn't be enough people who would use that as an alternative to justify the huge cost. 

[TR69]

Get your registration in early!

http://eastendcrossing.com/project-overview/openingday/

[NWI_Irish96]

Get your registration in early!

http://eastendcrossing.com/project-overview/openingday/

I'm going be on right at 10am trying get a ticket.

[GreenLanternCorps]

As of this morning, the lanes are marked.

Easy to paint, with no traffic.

http://eastendcrossing.com/project-overview/live-camera-feed/

[NWI_Irish96]

Get your registration in early!

http://eastendcrossing.com/project-overview/openingday/

I'm going be on right at 10am trying get a ticket.

I got one!

[TR69]

Get your registration in early!

http://eastendcrossing.com/project-overview/openingday/

I'm going be on right at 10am trying get a ticket.

I got one!

Jealous! I have to work that day. 

[thefro]

The terrain between the current west end of I-265 in Indiana and the current west end of KY 841 makes connecting the two routes very difficult, if not impossible.  That and there really isn't a need for it.  Look at what is directly across the river from the end of KY 841.  It's very, very sparsely populated and there just wouldn't be enough people who would use that as an alternative to justify the huge cost.

KY 1934 (which is 4 lanes and doesn't have a ton of stoplights compared to Dixie Highway/31W) connects KY 841 to I-264, so the whole thing basically functions as an outer beltway.

Horseshoe Casino is basically the only thing on the Indiana side of the river south of New Albany in that area, and taking the highway all the way to Corydon would be dumb (and that town only has ~2500 people despite being a former state capital and having some history).

[TheStranger]

Was on vacation in Kentucky the last few days and got these photos of the East End Crossing on Monday:

[hbelkins]

On my way back from Bloomington, Ind. on Saturday, I stayed at a motel off the Hurstbourne Road exit on I-64. I knew where it was located, but I plugged the location into my Garmin GPS (the maps were upgraded a few months ago) and it tried to route me across the not-yet-open I-265 bridge.

By contrast, the new section of I-69 between US 231 and Bloomington isn't on the GPS yet.

[ukfan758]

Tolling begins December 30 and E-ZPass transponders ship next week.
http://kyinbridges.com/tolling-on-ohio-river-bridges-to-begin-december-30/

[NWI_Irish96]

Tolling begins December 30 and E-ZPass transponders ship next week.
http://kyinbridges.com/tolling-on-ohio-river-bridges-to-begin-december-30/

Just to add, tolls for cars will be $4 per crossing with no transponder, $2 per crossing with RiverLink, EZPass or IPass, and $1 per crossing if you cross 40 or more times per month and have a RiverLink transponder (not EZPass or IPass though).

[silverback1065]

Tolling begins December 30 and E-ZPass transponders ship next week.
http://kyinbridges.com/tolling-on-ohio-river-bridges-to-begin-december-30/

Just to add, tolls for cars will be $4 per crossing with no transponder, $2 per crossing with RiverLink, EZPass or IPass, and $1 per crossing if you cross 40 or more times per month and have a RiverLink transponder (not EZPass or IPass though).

since i rarely go down there, i'll utilize 31 and 64

[TR69]

I live in Louisville but I go over to Indiana so infrequently, I'll just pay the $4/crossing or take one of the free bridges (US 31, I-64).

Actually, when I do go to Indiana it's usually on foot, over the Big Four Bridge.

[tidecat]

I have driven the Snyder between Jeffersontown and Prospect several times in the past week, and have noticed the signs on KY 841 Northbound before Exit 37 do not refer to the new bridge as I-265, but KY 841.  Since the sign detailing the toll bridge is on a white background, the shield is a white oval in a black rectangle.

I was wondering why so few lanes were open on the Southbound side, but there are at least two overhead VMS gantries that needed to be installed.  Interestingly, there is a "Louisville City Limits" sign on the southbound side, presumably to offset the "Prospect City Limits" sign on the northbound side.


Samsung Galaxy Note7 . Hey, do you smell anything burning?

[NWI_Irish96]

I'm not well-versed on the procedures for getting a new road designated as an interstate, but I assume that will happen sometime in the near future.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Bridge is FINALLY open to all traffic.  You ready to hear the new name of the bridge?

It is called... Lewis and Clark Bridge! 

[NWI_Irish96]

Just got back from being in the initial caravan across, stopped for an early dinner in Prospect and then back across.  Very nice bridge, and lots of nice places in far NE Louisville that we'll likely visit more often now.

[ukfan758]

Drove on the bridge at around 7, outstanding job on the whole project. What I do wonder though is will Indiana raise the speed limit on their portion of 265 from 55 to 65mph since they're now connected? Why was their section 55mph to begin with?

[Great Lakes Roads]

Drove on the bridge at around 7, outstanding job on the whole project. What I do wonder though is will Indiana raise the speed limit on their portion of 265 from 55 to 65mph since they're now connected? Why was their section 55mph to begin with?

Probably to match the current speed limits on the older sections or because of the Louisville Metro area restricts the speed limits to 55 on the Indiana side...

HOWEVER, they could possibly raise the speed limit to 65 on the Indiana portion...

[silverback1065]

all urban interstates have a speed limit of 55 in indiana, i think it's some dumb law.  there are a few exceptions though.

[Captain Jack]

Drove on the bridge at around 7, outstanding job on the whole project. What I do wonder though is will Indiana raise the speed limit on their portion of 265 from 55 to 65mph since they're now connected? Why was their section 55mph to begin with?

I don't see that happening. My guess is someone likes ticket revenue in that area. Not only is 265 at 55mph, the State Police operate a well known speed trap on a rural stretch of I-64 a few miles east of New Albany. They have it signed as a "Hoosier Helper Patrol Zone" whatever the hell that is supposed to mean, but the reality is that it is just a fleecing operation.

[NWI_Irish96]

Traffic volume on 265, at least the old part, dictates a 55 mph speed limit.  If there were such a thing as variable speed limits, you could justify it being higher on the weekends, but during the work week 265 gets more than enough traffic to justify a 55 mph limit.

[seicer]

At night?

[Brandon]

They have it signed as a "Hoosier Helper Patrol Zone" whatever the hell that is supposed to mean, but the reality is that it is just a fleecing operation.

That means they have people on patrol to aid stranded motorists with broken down vehicles.  InDOT does the same along the Borman Expressway up this way.