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I-71/I-75 Brent Spence Bridge Replacement

Started by The Great Zo, November 28, 2012, 06:07:28 AM

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wdcrft63

Quote from: SkyPesos on May 26, 2022, 01:50:26 PM
I'm really hoping they go with the cable stayed design. The other one looks very similar to the I-471 bridge.
The I-471 tied-arch bridge was completed in 1976, a few years before cable-stayed bridges came into wide use in the U.S. It this point a cable-stayed design is more likely to be chosen.


wriddle082

Quote from: codyg1985 on May 26, 2022, 02:14:56 PM
Based on the rendering, it looks like through I-71/75 traffic would use the new bridge while local traffic bound for downtown Cincinnati and Covington would use the existing bridge span.

I had thought that I-71 through traffic in either direction would utilize the Brent Spence while I-75 through traffic in either direction would utilize the new bridge.  Essentially the entire 71/75 interchange would be stretched out to exist in both states, with the split/convergence of the two occurring in KY and the SB 71 to NB 75 and SB 75 to NB 71 movements occurring in OH.

Is this no longer the case?


hbelkins

Quote from: wriddle082 on May 28, 2022, 01:59:34 PM
Quote from: codyg1985 on May 26, 2022, 02:14:56 PM
Based on the rendering, it looks like through I-71/75 traffic would use the new bridge while local traffic bound for downtown Cincinnati and Covington would use the existing bridge span.

I had thought that I-71 through traffic in either direction would utilize the Brent Spence while I-75 through traffic in either direction would utilize the new bridge.  Essentially the entire 71/75 interchange would be stretched out to exist in both states, with the split/convergence of the two occurring in KY and the SB 71 to NB 75 and SB 75 to NB 71 movements occurring in OH.

Is this no longer the case?

And I thought that northbound, the split would occur in Kentucky with I-71 northbound using one deck of the bridge, and I-75 northbound using the other side, and the new bridge would be for all southbound traffic.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

codyg1985

Quote from: hbelkins on May 28, 2022, 08:54:08 PM
Quote from: wriddle082 on May 28, 2022, 01:59:34 PM
Quote from: codyg1985 on May 26, 2022, 02:14:56 PM
Based on the rendering, it looks like through I-71/75 traffic would use the new bridge while local traffic bound for downtown Cincinnati and Covington would use the existing bridge span.

I had thought that I-71 through traffic in either direction would utilize the Brent Spence while I-75 through traffic in either direction would utilize the new bridge.  Essentially the entire 71/75 interchange would be stretched out to exist in both states, with the split/convergence of the two occurring in KY and the SB 71 to NB 75 and SB 75 to NB 71 movements occurring in OH.

Is this no longer the case?

And I thought that northbound, the split would occur in Kentucky with I-71 northbound using one deck of the bridge, and I-75 northbound using the other side, and the new bridge would be for all southbound traffic.

I also thought this or a similar sort of setup is what it was going to be. I guess that changed. To me, shifting the I-71/75 split across the bridges makes more sense.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

Plutonic Panda

Update:

QuoteThe companion for the Brent Spence Bridge won't be as big as originally planned. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet released new configurations for the project, shuttling all local traffic onto the Brent Spence and keeping all through-traffic on the new span. Engineers say that means the new I-71/75 bridge will only need to be 84-feet wide, instead of the 150 feet designed 10 years ago. The new footprint covers only 14 acres, instead of 25, as originally planned.

The existing bridge will have three northbound and three southbound lanes, plus a four-foot wide and an eight-foot wide shoulder.

The new double-decker bridge will have five lanes in each direction and two 12-foot wide shoulders on each level.

KYTC Secretary Jim Gray says in a statement, "The Brent Spence plays a critical role in the solution being put forward and we are excited that our partners in Covington and other local municipalities in Kentucky have voiced their support for our current plan."

"We felt good about where we were a decade ago because that solution provided additional capacity that reduces congestion and improves travel throughout the corridor,"  ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks says. "We feel even better about this revision because it dramatically reduces the footprint of the new bridge and completely separates interstate and local traffic."

Nearly all of the property on the Ohio side of the river needed for the project has been acquired. On the Kentucky side, the area has been split into two sections: north and south. KTC says the northern section is still being reviewed, but the southern section has 38 properties impacted by the replacement bridge. The owners have been contacted, according to the statement.

The original plan was estimated to cost $2.8 billion. KYTC has not said if the revision will change that price tag.

Kentucky and Ohio governors Andy Beshear and Mike DeWine have asked the federal government for up to $2 billion for the entire corridor project. The money would likely come from the bipartisan federal infrastructure bill, which allocates $39 billion for bridge projects throughout the country. Both states agreed in a memorandum of understanding in February to contribute matching funding requirements.

The project team is working on a second federal grant application to be submitted by Aug. 9.

The plan calls for a groundbreaking by the fall of 2023.

More than 163,000 vehicles travel across the Brent Spence Bridge every day, according to a 2019 study by the Kentucky Transportation Department.

- https://www.wvxu.org/news/2022-07-15/kentucky-ohio-transportation-departments-reveal-smaller-brent-spence-bridge-companion-plan

TempoNick

Why is there a brand new bridge along i-74 around the quad cities, but here they build an ugly ass monstrosity?

Hot Rod Hootenanny

Quote from: TempoNick on July 23, 2022, 09:37:27 PM
Why is there a brand new bridge along i-74 around the quad cities, but here they build an ugly ass monstrosity?
Different DOTs.
Please, don't sue Alex & Andy over what I wrote above

triplemultiplex

Quote from: TempoNick on July 23, 2022, 09:37:27 PM
Why is there a brand new bridge along i-74 around the quad cities, but here they build an ugly ass monstrosity?
Because Iowa votes first.
"That's just like... your opinion, man."

Georgia Guardrail

Does anybody know what the alignment will be the northern I 71 I 75 split after the bridge?  Will SB 71 go over NB 75 like it currently does or will it be a bit different?

davewiecking

Quote from: Georgia Guardrail on August 06, 2022, 06:01:17 PM
Does anybody know what the alignment will be the northern I 71 I 75 split after the bridge?  Will SB 71 go over NB 75 like it currently does or will it be a bit different?

Since the new plan has the northbound interstates on the upper level and the southbound interstates on the lower level, I think it's safe to assume that NB I-75 will be above SB I-71.

Plutonic Panda

So did they reduce the number of lanes and shoulders or just the footprint?

davewiecking

Yes, yes and yes. Reply 154 has a link at the bottom. That article includes a link to https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/OHDOT/2022/07/14/file_attachments/2213441/BSB%20Corridor%20Bridge%20Lane%20Configuration%20071322.pdf . Easier on me to suggest that the curious viatologists read the article and review the linked document themselves.

Georgia Guardrail

I see it's flipped where northbound goes over southbound now.  Will NB I-71 split off to the right on NB I-75 or will it fly over NB I-75?  Do they have a project map design PDF yet?

Henry

Quote from: Georgia Guardrail on August 07, 2022, 02:54:50 PM
I see it's flipped where northbound goes over southbound now.  Will NB I-71 split off to the right on NB I-75 or will it fly over NB I-75?  Do they have a project map design PDF yet?
The NB-over-SB applies to the new bridge only, whereas the existing bridge will keep its current SB-over-NB setup. The local split will obviously take place on the Covington side, with a new flyover ramp for the SB local entrance (new Exit 193, perhaps?), and the two Interstates will still split in Cincinnati, with I-71 NB going to the right from I-75 like it does now. Of course, that can still change, but my gut feeling is that once the new bridge is open to traffic, the local split will take place in Covington instead of Cincinnati.
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

davewiecking

#164
I am shocked, shocked I say, that there haven't yet been 20 posts discussing what route number should be given to the existing bridge when the interstates are moved over to the new bridge. US-25? US-42? US-127? Business I-71/75 (please no-I hate green I's)?

Editing to add that I just listened to the podcast at https://www.wvxu.org/show/cincinnati-edition/2022-07-25/what-next-brent-spence-bridge-experts, and it appears that the plan involves separating I-75 in Ohio to Express (no interchanges) and Local lanes at about Marshall Ave, and doing similar in Kentucky as far south as Dixie Highway. This would mean that both bridges would have a proper blue/red I-shield. I believe that I-71 in Ohio would remain just one set of lanes (and it appears that Second and 3rd Streets function sort of as local lanes adjacent I-71 anyway). Not being from the area, I had a bit of trouble following along with the mentions of, for example, 4th street, because there's one of those on each side of the river. I won't say listening to the podcast was 25 minutes well spent, but others may find it useful.

An aside: Google Maps in Cincinnati shows "3rd Street" and "Second Street" (not 2nd Street). Are they really labeled that in real life?

SkyPesos

Quote from: davewiecking on August 08, 2022, 11:42:10 AM
I am shocked, shocked I say, that there haven't yet been 20 posts discussing what route number should be given to the existing bridge when the interstates are moved over to the new bridge. US-25? US-42? US-127? Business I-71/75 (please no-I hate green I's)?
Probably because not every river crossing needs a route number, and we can leave the rest of the designations across the other bridges alone.

amroad17

Quote from: davewiecking on August 08, 2022, 11:42:10 AM
I am shocked, shocked I say, that there haven't yet been 20 posts discussing what route number should be given to the existing bridge when the interstates are moved over to the new bridge. US-25? US-42? US-127? Business I-71/75 (please no-I hate green I's)?

Editing to add that I just listened to the podcast at https://www.wvxu.org/show/cincinnati-edition/2022-07-25/what-next-brent-spence-bridge-experts, and it appears that the plan involves separating I-75 in Ohio to Express (no interchanges) and Local lanes at about Marshall Ave, and doing similar in Kentucky as far south as Dixie Highway. This would mean that both bridges would have a proper blue/red I-shield. I believe that I-71 in Ohio would remain just one set of lanes (and it appears that Second and 3rd Streets function sort of as local lanes adjacent I-71 anyway). Not being from the area, I had a bit of trouble following along with the mentions of, for example, 4th street, because there's one of those on each side of the river. I won't say listening to the podcast was 25 minutes well spent, but others may find it useful.

An aside: Google Maps in Cincinnati shows "3rd Street" and "Second Street" (not 2nd Street). Are they really labeled that in real life?
On the BGS's, no.
Third St: https://goo.gl/maps/Z18L1TnTGjyEhux5A
Second St: https://goo.gl/maps/L7rRMKWKbCjaUyWL7

At the intersections, also no.
Third St: https://goo.gl/maps/j4GqsCmbFGyRFQpn9
Second St: https://goo.gl/maps/mVDA47xHfrsvyL3h8

AFAIK, every numbered street in Cincinnati is spelled out both on the BGS's and at each intersection.  Covington, on the other hand, uses numbers (e.g.: 5th, 12th) on the BGS's and at intersections.
I don't need a GPS.  I AM the GPS! (for family and friends)

Henry

Found this in the Cut-in-the-Hill thread and decided to add it here:

Quote from: Henry on September 09, 2022, 06:56:16 PM
Quote from: CardInLex on September 09, 2022, 02:31:01 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on September 07, 2022, 09:38:12 PM
Found out yesterday that the new Brent Spence companion bridge project will include improvements all the way south to the Dixie Highway/Kyles Lane interchanges. What's on the table is a system of C/D lanes between those two exits to eliminate weaving on the mainline.

Someone remind me; the presentation I saw yesterday should be placed online before too long and I'll post the link to it once it's available.

Are you talking about this? https://brentspencebridgecorridor.com/wp-content/themes/bsb/docs/alt/RecommendedAlternativeKentucky.pdf

It has been on the BSB website for a while now.
Since that post is also related to the Brent Spence Bridge Replacement thread, someone may as well put it there.
Speaking of which, I took a closer look at the actual bridge, and from the looks of it, two northbound lanes of I-71 will move to the top half of the old bridge, while northbound local access into Downtown Cincinnati will occupy the bottom half. On the new bridge, two southbound lanes on I-71 will merge into three southbound lanes on I-75 on the top section, while three northbound lanes of I-75 shift to the bottom, and rail/bus lanes will most likely take the bottom half of the new bridge as well. While I'm aware that things may change, that's my interpretation of the plans as they are.
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

davewiecking

Quote from: Henry on September 09, 2022, 07:10:40 PM
Speaking of which, I took a closer look at the actual bridge, and from the looks of it, two northbound lanes of I-71 will move to the top half of the old bridge, while northbound local access into Downtown Cincinnati will occupy the bottom half. On the new bridge, two southbound lanes on I-71 will merge into three southbound lanes on I-75 on the top section, while three northbound lanes of I-75 shift to the bottom, and rail/bus lanes will most likely take the bottom half of the new bridge as well. While I'm aware that things may change, that's my interpretation of the plans as they are.

Not certain, but I think you're looking at the 2012 plan. Check out the document linked in reply #161 above, which shows the updated plan from earlier this summer, and puts only local traffic on the old bridge.

hbelkins

Quote from: davewiecking on September 09, 2022, 09:32:23 PM
Quote from: Henry on September 09, 2022, 07:10:40 PM
Speaking of which, I took a closer look at the actual bridge, and from the looks of it, two northbound lanes of I-71 will move to the top half of the old bridge, while northbound local access into Downtown Cincinnati will occupy the bottom half. On the new bridge, two southbound lanes on I-71 will merge into three southbound lanes on I-75 on the top section, while three northbound lanes of I-75 shift to the bottom, and rail/bus lanes will most likely take the bottom half of the new bridge as well. While I'm aware that things may change, that's my interpretation of the plans as they are.

Not certain, but I think you're looking at the 2012 plan. Check out the document linked in reply #161 above, which shows the updated plan from earlier this summer, and puts only local traffic on the old bridge.

Yes, the old bridge will revert to three lanes in each direction and will be for local traffic. The new bridge will also be a double-decker, with the style of bridge yet to be determined (a cable-stayed bridge is one of the finalists), and I think there will be five lanes in each direction. The 71-75 split will be maintained in Ohio instead of one of the splits/mergers moving to Kentucky.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

TempoNick

Quote from: hbelkins on September 09, 2022, 10:10:41 PM

Yes, the old bridge will revert to three lanes in each direction and will be for local traffic. The new bridge will also be a double-decker, with the style of bridge yet to be determined (a cable-stayed bridge is one of the finalists), and I think there will be five lanes in each direction. The 71-75 split will be maintained in Ohio instead of one of the splits/mergers moving to Kentucky.

What does that mean? Is I-71/75 going to be divided into local and express lanes or is this going to be separated from the Interstate and considered a local road?

vtk

Quote from: TempoNick on October 06, 2022, 01:12:26 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on September 09, 2022, 10:10:41 PM

Yes, the old bridge will revert to three lanes in each direction and will be for local traffic. The new bridge will also be a double-decker, with the style of bridge yet to be determined (a cable-stayed bridge is one of the finalists), and I think there will be five lanes in each direction. The 71-75 split will be maintained in Ohio instead of one of the splits/mergers moving to Kentucky.

What does that mean? Is I-71/75 going to be divided into local and express lanes or is this going to be separated from the Interstate and considered a local road?

I think the old bridge will be considered "ramps" between 71/75 in Kentucky and downtown Cincinnati.
Wait, it's all Ohio? Always has been.

afguy

$1.6 Billion has been secured for the Brent Spence Bridge project...
Roughly $1.6 billion secured for new Brent Spence Bridge construction

QuoteAfter decades of promises and years of negotiations, Brent Spence Bridge corridor improvements have finally been granted funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law President Joe Biden signed in 2021.

According to a press release from Governors Andy Beshear and Mike DeWine, the U.S. Department of Transportation has officially awarded $1.635 billion in funding to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC).
https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/roughly-1-6-billion-secured-for-new-brent-spence-bridge-construction

hbelkins

In the news coverage here, much was made of the bipartisan cooperation between Gov. Beshear (D) of Kentucky, Sens. Portman and McConnell and Gov. Dewine of Ohio (all R) and the Biden administration and Secretary Buttgieg (D).

One of the stories honed in on McConnell and Portman lobbying the feds for the grant.

This is one of my pet peeves about how projects are funded. Instead of Congress allocating a lump sum and then making states beg/jump through hoops/compete for crumbs, why shouldn't the legislative body specify where the money goes?

I'm not a fan of this process. I've said many times before that the representatives out in the field/on the ground have a better grasp on the needs than do bureaucrats in DC.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Rothman

Quote from: hbelkins on December 29, 2022, 09:22:36 PM
In the news coverage here, much was made of the bipartisan cooperation between Gov. Beshear (D) of Kentucky, Sens. Portman and McConnell and Gov. Dewine of Ohio (all R) and the Biden administration and Secretary Buttgieg (D).

One of the stories honed in on McConnell and Portman lobbying the feds for the grant.

This is one of my pet peeves about how projects are funded. Instead of Congress allocating a lump sum and then making states beg/jump through hoops/compete for crumbs, why shouldn't the legislative body specify where the money goes?

I'm not a fan of this process. I've said many times before that the representatives out in the field/on the ground have a better grasp on the needs than do bureaucrats in DC.
I have heard the recent bills cynically referred to as consultant assistance bills.  All the grant applications and short-staffed DOTs mean hiring consultants to apply for the ridiculous programs.

(personal opinion emphasized)
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