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I-69 Ohio River Bridge

Started by truejd, August 05, 2010, 10:32:59 AM

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Anthony_JK

#475
Quote from: NE2 on February 09, 2015, 08:13:44 PM
Quote from: tdindy88 on February 09, 2015, 07:10:57 PM
Something else to consider, that loop ramp from WB 69 to SB 41. No way that will be allowed to continue if they went that route, that interchange, or part of it would have to be rebuilt similar to what's being done at the Pennyrile-Western Kentucky interchange.
I-55/I-69 in Mississippi...

Which should also be modified to a directional ramp/flyover for continuity's sake. Through routes should not be delegated to one-lane loop ramps.


Also...wasn't the original concept of the I-55/I-69/I-269 interchange based on I-69 going around the outer limits of Memphis via what is now I-269/TN 385??


As for the OP: I'd prefer building a new I-69 bridge/bypass and keeping the older US 41 bridge for local connections, probably even adding pedestrian/bicycle access. No reason the two couldn't coexist.


codyg1985

Quote from: Anthony_JK on February 10, 2015, 06:35:00 AM
Quote from: NE2 on February 09, 2015, 08:13:44 PM
Quote from: tdindy88 on February 09, 2015, 07:10:57 PM
Something else to consider, that loop ramp from WB 69 to SB 41. No way that will be allowed to continue if they went that route, that interchange, or part of it would have to be rebuilt similar to what's being done at the Pennyrile-Western Kentucky interchange.
I-55/I-69 in Mississippi...
Also...wasn't the original concept of the I-55/I-69/I-269 interchange based on I-69 going around the outer limits of Memphis via what is now I-269/TN 385??

I don't think it was decided at the time the interchange was constructed if I-69 would go through Memphis or bypass Memphis. I suspect MDOT used a cloverleaf with C/D lanes since it was the cheaper option.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on February 08, 2015, 11:16:36 AM
In this Comment ... :
Quote
Kyndle strongly encourages Congress, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration to designate Interstate 69 as a Project of National and Regional Significance and include it in the new National Freight Network list.
Kyndle supports legislation enabling Kentucky to fully utilize public-private partnerships (P3) to complete infrastructure projects of all types and find more cost-efficient, effective ways to perform government functions.

In this article, Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke is quoted as asserting that the I-69 Ohio River Bridge is currently being reviewed at the federal level for designation as a project of national or regional significance, which would increase the opportunity for federal funding; he is also quoted as asserting that Kentucky may pass legislation allowing public-private partnerships:

Quote
Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke ....
The new bridge is "the biggie"  at this point, he said, but progress is being made at the federal level as well as in Indiana and Kentucky. The federal government is looking at designating the bridge as a project of national or regional importance, which would open new funding opportunities.
Indiana is studying whether tolls could help fund it, and Kentucky may pass legislation allowing public-private partnerships, which Winnecke called "a key financing tool that can be used for Kentucky to help make the project happen."

hbelkins

There is a contingent from northern Kentucky who are dead-set against P3 in Kentucky because they are dead-set against tolls for the Brent Spence Bridge. The governor vetoed a P3 bill last year because it contained a provision against tolls. He's stated that if he doesn't get a clean P3 bill this year, he'll veto it too.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

codyg1985

I really don't think tolls would fund the I-69 Ohio River Bridge, at least in the foreseeable future. There won't be enough of a traffic increase at the onset, so most locals will just continue to use the US 41 bridge instead.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on February 12, 2015, 08:28:59 PM
In this article, Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke ... :
Quote
Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke ....
The new bridge is "the biggie"  at this point, he said ... Indiana is studying whether tolls could help fund it ..."

In his State of the City Address that is quoted here, Evansville Mayor Winnecke states that the Indiana toll study should be completed "later this summer":

Quote
One strategic investment by the state is Interstate 69. Yes, the trip to Bloomington is much better, and the trip to Indianapolis will get even better in the years to come.
I'd like to recognize my colleague from Henderson, Kentucky, Mayor Steve Austin.
Together with the Bridge Link coalition, our advocacy for the future Interstate 69 bridges is steadfast and gaining traction in Indianapolis and Frankfort. The Indiana Department of Transportation is currently working on a statewide transportation funding outline. In that report, INDOT is conducting a tolling study for the Interstate 69 bridge project and should be completed later this summer.

Pete from Boston

Quote from: codyg1985 on February 13, 2015, 03:45:09 PM
I really don't think tolls would fund the I-69 Ohio River Bridge, at least in the foreseeable future. There won't be enough of a traffic increase at the onset, so most locals will just continue to use the US 41 bridge instead.

This may be the real irony here–northbound traffic going into most of Evansville would be going out of their way to stay on an easterly-alignment 69.  Traffic would end up somewhat lighter on 41, so it might be a more attractive route.  This is where missing ramp movements to coerce toll payment (a la Garden State Parkway, Mass Pike Extension) come in handy, but that'd be shitty.


Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on February 12, 2015, 08:28:59 PM
In this article, Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke is quoted as asserting that ... Kentucky may pass legislation allowing public-private partnerships:
Quote
Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke ....
Kentucky may pass legislation allowing public-private partnerships, which Winnecke called "a key financing tool that can be used for Kentucky to help make the project happen."
Quote from: hbelkins on February 12, 2015, 09:02:54 PM
There is a contingent from northern Kentucky who are dead-set against P3 in Kentucky because they are dead-set against tolls for the Brent Spence Bridge. The governor vetoed a P3 bill last year because it contained a provision against tolls. He's stated that if he doesn't get a clean P3 bill this year, he'll veto it too.

This article reports that a bill authorizing the use of P3s in Kentucky easily passed the Kentucky House and that an amendment banning the use of tolls on the Brent Spence was defeated:

Quote
In a debate overshadowed by an ambitious bridge proposal on the state's northern tier, the Kentucky House passed legislation Wednesday evening that would authorize use of public-private partnerships for mega-dollar transportation work and other projects ....
The Democratic-run House passed the measure on an 84-13 vote after considering a series of amendments. The bill now goes to the Republican-led Senate ....
In a key vote, the House defeated an amendment by Rep. Arnold Simpson that would have banned the use of tolls to fund a new Brent Spence Bridge.
Similar anti-tolling language was attached to last year's public-private partnerships bill, prompting a veto by Gov. Steve Beshear, who is a strong advocate for the partnerships ....
Rep. Tommy Thompson said western Kentucky stands to benefit from the partnerships. He said state and federal governments can't muster the financing for mega-projects such as a possible new Ohio River bridge as part of the Interstate 69 project in western Kentucky.
"The only way that's going to probably become a reality, for we need that in our part of the state, is with a public-private partnership,"
the Owensboro Democrat said.

On to the Kentucky Senate ......................

Grzrd

#483
Quote from: hbelkins on February 09, 2015, 11:08:47 AM
it doesn't make a lot of sense to spend a lot of money at this time on a potential replacement for the southbound bridge when the I-69 bridge(s), when built, will take a lot of traffic off of the US 41 corridor and probably give the existing bridge a new lease on life. Given the difficulty in converting the US 41 Henderson strip to an interstate ... a new-terrain I-69 route with a new bridge is the best option.

Community leaders and participants in Henderson have posted a March 2015 Henderson Vision Comprehensive Plan, in which they provide a blueprint for how Henderson should evolve in the future.  As far as I can tell, the vision presumes that the I-69 Ohio River Bridge will eventually be built; as a result, I find it interesting how they want the US 41 Strip to evolve after construction of the I-69 bridge.  First, they want small area plans to be developed around the future I-69 interchanges and the function of the US 41 corridor (page 110/124 of pdf; p. 103 of document):



Next, they focus in on the US 41 corridor (p. 113/124 of pdf; p. 106 of document):



So, the Big Picture for the US 41 Strip is to transform into a Complete Street.

Also, the group identified Second Street as the future main gateway into Henderson and that it should evolve into a gateway, a district, and a greenway (p. 115/124 of pdf; p. 108 of document):



Here is a snip of the group's Access & Mobility map (p.77/124 of pdf; p. 70 of document):


Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on February 26, 2015, 09:57:08 AM
This article reports that a bill authorizing the use of P3s in Kentucky easily passed the Kentucky House and that an amendment banning the use of tolls on the Brent Spence was defeated ....
On to the Kentucky Senate ......................

Well, the P3 legislation did not pass and this March 27 blog comments on the reasons why the Kentucky Senate failed to pass the P3 legislation:

Quote
In the GOP-controlled Senate, one prominent Republican leader, state Sen. Damon Thayer, opposes tolls and so do members of the Northern Kentucky delegation. But that isn't what sunk the legislation there in 2015.  In 2015, the legislation was filed late to try to buy time and build support. This year, it did not have a provision for local projects because Beshear's office and the groups representing Kentucky cities and counties could not agree to language. That became a problem when the short, 30-day 2015 legislative session was made shorter by bad weather ....
Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce CEO Trey Grayson, a former Kentucky secretary of state and experienced Frankfort hand ....
In the case of the P3 bill, Kentucky's cities and counties didn't actively try to snuff it out, Grayson said, but it ended up being left behind because lawmakers outside of Northern Kentucky didn't care enough about getting it done.
"You just kind of ran out of time,"  Grayson said.
"The only people who cared a lot about it at the end were the three Northern Kentuckians who were opposed. As a result, it was easy to set aside. If you'd had one more week, it probably would have passed."
In 2016, the game will have changed. Kentucky elects a new governor in November.
"The wild card will be what is the new governor's position on the Brent Spence Bridge as a piece of this,"  Grayson said.

This April 2 article reports that Western Kentucky officals want P3 as an option for the I-69 Ohio River Bridge, even if Northern Kentucky officials are opposed to tolls:

Quote
Sen. Dorsey Ridley .... said ....
"If they will at least come across the aisle and have a conversation with us we could do that. We could have passed the P3 (public-private partnership) legislation, in my estimation, and allow us to move forward in building the bridge we need on I-69."
Kyndle CEO and President Brad Schneider agreed
, but said "in Kentucky, sometimes our differences are regional more than they are by party.
"Next session, let the folks in Northern Kentucky know – while they figure out what they want to do – we'd love to move forward here," Schneider said. To fund bridges and other infrastructure in Western Kentucky, he said, "P3 would be a great tool in the toolbox." ....
Rep. Suzanne Miles, R-Owensboro
....
expressed disappointment in the failure of the P3 legislation. "The main thing is for us to get that (Interstate 69) bridge. P3 is one of the best things for that opportunity."

A lot of talk regarding the I-69 Ohio River Bridge and a lot more time for talk before the 2016 session.

Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on June 11, 2014, 08:13:56 AM
This TV video reports that Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke and Henderson Mayor Steve Austin still hope to have the bridge built by 2020, and Winnecke says a new study supports a reduced cost estimate of $800 million to build the bridge:
Quote
Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke says the I-69 bridge could be a lot cheaper than first projected.
Mayor Winnecke says a new study shows the bridge could cost about $800 million.
That's $600 million less than first thought.
Winnecke says this new estimate is partly based on the savings seen in St. Louis with the I-70 bridge.
"The 2008 estimate of $1.4 billion we believe is high," said Mayor Winnecke. "Now with what we've witnessed in St. Louis we really believe it's high, and so we have folks working to narrow to a more refined scope."
Mayor Winnecke and Henderson Mayor Steve Austin hope to have the bridge built by the year 2020. Both expect it to be a toll bridge. However, a price to cross the bridge hasn't been revealed.

Slide 38/54 of an April 22, 2015 state-by-state status updates presented to the I-69 Congressional Caucus PowerPoint (linked on this page) confirms the revised cost estimate for the I-69 Ohio River Bridge:



However, it is unclear whether KYTC is aware of the new strategy.  This article reports that Kentucky Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock was the featured speaker at a May 7 Kyndle meeting and that he provided a cost estimate for the bridge that appears to be more in line with "old" 2008 estimate:

Quote
Kentucky Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock ....
As the effort to get I-69 to Henderson nears its completion, the next and greater challenge will be to construct an I-69 bridge from Henderson to Evansville.
"We estimate Kentucky's share will be $1 billion," Hancock said. Tolls will almost certainly be required, even if they don't cover the full cost of financing the span.
While uncertainties remain, he said, efforts continue, "so we are not allowed to forget about crossing I-69 between Henderson and Evansville."

The coordination of efforts might need to be tightened up a little.

Pete from Boston


lordsutch

Quote from: Pete from Boston on May 10, 2015, 06:20:10 AM
Shortened route?

I believe the "shortened route" moves the new route closer to US 41 and makes more use of the Pennyrile, rather than branching off to the east well to the south of KY 425 as originally planned. I believe the map in this post reflects the shortened route.

Pete from Boston


Quote from: lordsutch on May 10, 2015, 11:07:12 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on May 10, 2015, 06:20:10 AM
Shortened route?

I believe the "shortened route" moves the new route closer to US 41 and makes more use of the Pennyrile, rather than branching off to the east well to the south of KY 425 as originally planned. I believe the map in this post reflects the shortened route.

Ok.  This is the route I'm most familiar with, so I didn't realize it was shortened from whatever the cost estimates were based on. 

triplemultiplex

Quote from: Grzrd on March 14, 2015, 10:06:54 AM
Here is a snip of the group's Access & Mobility map (p.77/124 of pdf; p. 70 of document):



This is more like it.  Those older proposals with the new bridge out in the boonies are absurd.  I sure hope this gains traction.
"That's just like... your opinion, man."

Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on June 11, 2014, 08:13:56 AM
This TV video reports that Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke and Henderson Mayor Steve Austin still hope to have the bridge built by 2020 ...
Quote
Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke says the I-69 bridge could be a lot cheaper than first projected.
Mayor Winnecke says a new study shows the bridge could cost about $800 million. That's $600 million less than first thought ...
Mayor Winnecke and Henderson Mayor Steve Austin hope to have the bridge built by the year 2020. Both expect it to be a toll bridge. However, a price to cross the bridge hasn't been revealed.

This July 23 TV video reports on Henderson Mayor Steve Austin's recent State of the City address and it includes an interview with him in which he asserts that the completion of I-69 and the I-69 Ohio River bridge is his number one priority, but he does not discuss either cost or a schedule to get it built:

Quote
In his State of the City address on Thursday afternoon, Henderson Mayor Steve Austin told the Rotary Club and others in attendance that the city has momentum. That momentum, Mayor Austin said, will take the city into the future ....
Mayor Austin said his number one priority still is the completion of I-69 and the construction of a new Ohio River bridge.
"We are working with our congressional folks and Washington folks. We are working with our state folks," Mayor Austin said. "We are working our highway departments. It's constantly on our mind and we're going to get it accomplished."

The Ghostbuster

Does anyone know when this bridge might be constructed? It seems like not for quite a while.

silverback1065

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on August 06, 2015, 02:57:31 PM
Does anyone know when this bridge might be constructed? It seems like not for quite a while.
Not anytime soon, I don't even think it's been designed yet.

Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on March 14, 2015, 10:06:54 AM
March 2015 Henderson Vision Comprehensive Plan ....
Next, they focus in on the US 41 corridor (p. 113/124 of pdf; p. 106 of document):

So, the Big Picture for the US 41 Strip is to transform into a Complete Street ....

This article reports that KYTC is studying improvements to US 41 North, but uncertainty regarding the timetable for building the I-69 Ohio River bridge adds a difficult element to the study:

Quote
... a host of proposals generated by an engineering consultant for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to keep traffic moving and reduce wrecks and injuries on the busy highway.
The study was ordered after state Sen. Dorsey Ridley, of Henderson, asked the cabinet to look into making improvements on U.S. 41-North, said Kevin McClearn, the agency's District 2 chief district engineer, at a news conference Thursday afternoon.
The cabinet hired the Stantec engineering firm and directed it to perform a traffic study and develop options, "from low cost to high cost," for improving the highway, he said.
Stantec so far has identified projects ranging from less than $1 million to a collection of projects totaling $16.4 million.
The construction of a bridge for Interstate 69 across the Ohio River from Henderson to Evansville would remove much of the traffic from U.S. 41-North.
"Of course, one thing we are unsure of as to I-69 is when it's going to happen and where's it's going to go," McClearn said.
....
There's a possibility that a new bridge would replace the aging Twin Bridges, which are 50 and 83 years old, respectively.
"Obviously it will have a large impact on the strip," he said. " ... Do we want to spend several million dollars when a few years down the road I-69 comes through and removes the through traffic?"
On the other hand, relief is needed before then. U.S. 41-North carries an average of 40,400 vehicles a day between Marywood Drive and Watson Lane and about 38,000 across the Twin Bridges, according to McClearn.
That is only going to increase. He said Stantec projects that will go up about 1 percent each year, reaching almost 47,000 vehicles daily by 2030.
"Is there something we can do for a moderate amount (of money) for the next 10 or 15 years while we're getting (the) I-69 (bridge) built?" he said ....
Between 2012 and 2014, 433 crashes were reported along U.S. 41-North, with 86 injuries suffered. Two out of every five were rear-end collisions.
Among the proposals under consideration to address that:
Constructing a north-south "backage" road behind businesses on the east wide of U.S. 41-North so, for example, a motorist could travel from Henderson Chevrolet to Old Orchard Shopping Center without getting on the highway. Its cost is estimated at $3.3 million.
Raising the median along U.S. 41-North to eliminate left turns except at traffic signals.
Realigning the Audubon Village shopping center traffic signal to line up with Barker Road.
Meanwhile, an early proposal to add an extra driving lane in each direction was deemed unworkable because of lane widths, left-turn issues and the high cost of acquiring right of way along the highway.

thefro

Evansville folk continue to push for the bridge to get built

http://www.courierpress.com/news/i69/i69-bridge-could-help-perception-issue-for-evansville_72709575

QuoteMuch of the discussion centered around Interstate 69 and specifically the prospective bridge from Evansville to Henderson that would provide a link to the Southern U.S. The theme was making Evansville more accessible and placing it along a major freight route.

State officials are in the process of determining where they will come up with the $850 million to build the bridge. But Dennis Faulkenberg, president and chief executive officer of APPIAN, said it's imperative that people consider the significant benefits the bridge would provide.

"This is not to be a cul-de-sac in Evansville, and that's what (I-69) is going to be without that bridge,"  he said. "Surely we didn't spend a billion dollars to get here for a cul-de-sac. This is to go on to greater things and to bring people to us. This is not just for us to get south; it's to get people from the South coming to Evansville and doing business in Southwest Indiana."

QuoteThe next hurdle would be figuring out how to fund the Evansville-to-Henderson bridge. Tolls are a likely option and one that Faulkenberg said polls suggested the public would support if necessary.

Faulkenberg, who also works with the Blue Ribbon Panel on Transportation and BridgeLink, said he and other transportation experts met with Indiana and Kentucky legislators, namely Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, as well as Kentucky gubernatorial candidates Jack Conway and Matt Bevin, about the importance of the bridge. All have given supportive statements, he said.

Congressman Larry Bucshon, who helped start a bipartisan I-69 caucus in Congress earlier this year, spoke at a session at Monday's event. He said a bridge connecting Evansville and Henderson via I-69 would "an enormous win for our regional and national economies."

"The bridge would undoubtedly enhance the regional mobility of our products and people and improve the safety of the traveling public,"  he said. "I plan to continue working with my colleagues in the Congressional I-69 Caucus, like Congressman Ed Whitfield, as well as regional leaders like the Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Bridgelink and Mayor Lloyd Winnecke to complete this important component of our nation's multi-modal freight transportation."

silverback1065

Quote from: thefro on August 18, 2015, 09:09:06 AM
Evansville folk continue to push for the bridge to get built

http://www.courierpress.com/news/i69/i69-bridge-could-help-perception-issue-for-evansville_72709575

QuoteMuch of the discussion centered around Interstate 69 and specifically the prospective bridge from Evansville to Henderson that would provide a link to the Southern U.S. The theme was making Evansville more accessible and placing it along a major freight route.

State officials are in the process of determining where they will come up with the $850 million to build the bridge. But Dennis Faulkenberg, president and chief executive officer of APPIAN, said it's imperative that people consider the significant benefits the bridge would provide.

"This is not to be a cul-de-sac in Evansville, and that's what (I-69) is going to be without that bridge,"  he said. "Surely we didn't spend a billion dollars to get here for a cul-de-sac. This is to go on to greater things and to bring people to us. This is not just for us to get south; it's to get people from the South coming to Evansville and doing business in Southwest Indiana."

QuoteThe next hurdle would be figuring out how to fund the Evansville-to-Henderson bridge. Tolls are a likely option and one that Faulkenberg said polls suggested the public would support if necessary.

Faulkenberg, who also works with the Blue Ribbon Panel on Transportation and BridgeLink, said he and other transportation experts met with Indiana and Kentucky legislators, namely Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, as well as Kentucky gubernatorial candidates Jack Conway and Matt Bevin, about the importance of the bridge. All have given supportive statements, he said.

Congressman Larry Bucshon, who helped start a bipartisan I-69 caucus in Congress earlier this year, spoke at a session at Monday's event. He said a bridge connecting Evansville and Henderson via I-69 would "an enormous win for our regional and national economies."

"The bridge would undoubtedly enhance the regional mobility of our products and people and improve the safety of the traveling public,"  he said. "I plan to continue working with my colleagues in the Congressional I-69 Caucus, like Congressman Ed Whitfield, as well as regional leaders like the Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Bridgelink and Mayor Lloyd Winnecke to complete this important component of our nation's multi-modal freight transportation."
They may get their wish, next year Indiana government claims it will be "infrastructure year" I'll believe it when I see it. 69 isn't really a culdesac per se, us 41 is good enough until it 69 is built.

Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on March 14, 2015, 10:06:54 AM
Community leaders and participants in Henderson have posted a March 2015 Henderson Vision Comprehensive Plan, in which they provide a blueprint for how Henderson should evolve in the future ....
Here is a snip of the group's Access & Mobility map (p.77/124 of pdf; p. 70 of document):

This article reports that, with the Vision Plan in place, Henderson is now working on the Comprehensive Plan, which can be viewed as the "road map" for implementing the Vision Plan:

Quote
The Henderson City-County Planning Commission is going to do a little crystal-gazing Sept. 14, and would like the public's assistance in laying the foundation for future land-use decisions.
The event, which will begin at 5 p.m. Sept. 14 in the top-floor meeting room of the Henderson Municipal Center, is a combination workshop and open house about the proposed city-county Comprehensive Plan's map, which the Planning Commission is in the process of updating ....
"It's important, and the public should have lots of input,"  said city-county Planner Brian Bishop, noting the Comprehensive Plan will dovetail into the Vision Plan adopted earlier by the city of Henderson.
"The Vision Plan sets the destination. I like to think the Comprehensive Plan is the road map to help get us there."

TSW Design Group of Louisville drafted the Vision Plan, with considerable public input, and is also drafting the rewrite of the Comprehensive Plan, so it will have representatives at the Sept. 14 workshop.

The article also suggests that I-69's route around Henderson should be finalized in 2016:

Quote
Most of the questions at the Sept. 14 workshop will probably be about specific parcels of property and the route of Interstate 69, Bishop said. But since the I-69 route has not yet been finalized, there's not much definitive information that can be relayed.
In fact, a separate chapter of the Comprehensive Plan has been reserved for use in 2016 once the actual I-69 route is known.

Grzrd

#497
Quote from: Pete from Boston on February 25, 2015, 08:06:50 PM
Quote from: codyg1985 on February 13, 2015, 03:45:09 PM
I really don't think tolls would fund the I-69 Ohio River Bridge, at least in the foreseeable future. There won't be enough of a traffic increase at the onset, so most locals will just continue to use the US 41 bridge instead.
This may be the real irony here–northbound traffic going into most of Evansville would be going out of their way to stay on an easterly-alignment 69.  Traffic would end up somewhat lighter on 41, so it might be a more attractive route.  This is where missing ramp movements to coerce toll payment (a la Garden State Parkway, Mass Pike Extension) come in handy, but that'd be shitty.

This TV video reports on a Sept. 8 meeting in Evansville about the future of the I-69 Ohio River bridge, during which it appears that the participants want to keep the U.S. 41 Twin Bridges as a free option for local traffic and have the burden of possible tolls for the I-69 bridge fall primarily on truck through traffic:

Quote
A meeting was held in downtown Evansville on Tuesday to discuss the future of the new I-69 bridge over the Ohio River.
A big point of discussion was keeping the U.S. 41 Twin Bridges open for people who live in the area.
The new bridge would connect the I-69 portions of Indiana and Kentucky ....
INDOT is performing a study to see if tolls on the bridge would support the cost.
"The key about the Twin Bridges is...it gives us a free, local route for people in Evansville and Henderson,"  said Brad Schneider with KYNDLE.
"It will be through traffic, commercial traffic - those folks will be paying the bulk of the tolls.
  I guess local people could use the new bridge for convenience but maintaining a free local route is key to our plans."
The path of the new I-69 bridge would start near Weinbach Avenue in Evansville and loop around Audubon State Park in Henderson.

The INDOT toll study should make for some interesting reading .......

edit

This article about the meeting emphasizes the possibility of raising gas and diesel taxes to help pay for the bridge:

Quote
... if we're going to do something about preservation, maintenance and building the new, needed infrastructure, like the bridge over the Ohio River to complete I-69 ... we're going to have to do something about a severe INDOT (Indiana Department of Transportation) funding shortfall and it's going to take some tough decisions,"  said Dennis Faulkenberg, president and chief executive officer of APPIAN ....
The key question for the region discussed by the panel at the Rotary lunch was: How to fund the $850 million connection between Kentucky and Indiana?
Tolls, gas and diesel taxes and other fees could help fund that, Faulkenberg said.

He pointed out that diesel taxes in Indiana haven't increased since 1989, and inflation over the last 25 years has diminished the power of the dollars collected.
While bridging gaps in state funding is crucial, Laurie Maudline, also with APPIAN, said federal funding is "absolutely critical."
Federal gas and diesel taxes haven't been increased since 1993, Maudline said.

Pete from Boston

Interesting, so the northern end is no longer at Green River but at Weinbach.  Shorter route, makes more sense, but now it's right there at the 41 bridges, making them that much more attractive. 

I suppose they could eliminate the exit from the stub end of 164 (whatever it will be called) southbound to 41 South to discourage through traffic that way, but that would really complicate a lot of folks' route into Henderson.

silverback1065

Quote from: Pete from Boston on September 08, 2015, 06:01:14 PM
Interesting, so the northern end is no longer at Green River but at Weinbach.  Shorter route, makes more sense, but now it's right there at the 41 bridges, making them that much more attractive. 

I suppose they could eliminate the exit from the stub end of 164 (whatever it will be called) southbound to 41 South to discourage through traffic that way, but that would really complicate a lot of folks' route into Henderson.

If it splits at Weinbach, then I'd say the stub would just be an exit ramp and not signed as anything but whatever exit # us 41 is (probably 0)



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