I-69 Ohio River Bridge

[Pete from Boston]

I should note that just upstream in Louisville, the operator of Waterfront Park is publicly asking for state assistance. Apparently one of the pledges for lighting the Big 4 bridge fell through.

Oh, yeah.  I forgot about that bridge in Louisville. Louisville's a lot bigger than Evansville and Henderson, though.

[Grzrd]

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:

Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce CEO Trey Grayson, a former Kentucky secretary of state and experienced Frankfort hand ....
"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:

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."

This April 12 article reports that, this year, on April 8, recently elected Gov. Bevin signed legislation authorizing public private partnerships (P3s) to help fund transportation projects in Kentucky, except for interstate bridges connecting Ohio and Kentucky:

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin signed a law on Friday that bans tolls on interstate bridges that connect Ohio and Kentucky ....
In reality, what was known as House Bill 309 makes it possible for private money to be used to fund public projects except in the case of any highway connecting Ohio and Kentucky without authorization from the General Assembly. That essentially rules out the option of tolling for the Brent Spence Bridge.

Since the I-69 Ohio River bridge project would connect Kentucky and Indiana, a P3 incorporating tolls may be considered as part of the funding solution for that project. This March 29 article, written in anticipation of Gov. Bevin's signature on the legislation, reports on the importance of the legislation in advancing the project:

Justin Groenert, from the Southwest Indiana Chamber, knows this bill could pave the way for the all-important I-69 bridge over the Ohio.
"It gives Kentucky another avenue to finance the bridge," Groenert said. "We're confident that he'll sign it - so this is a really big win for for the long term in terms of getting this project started."
Legislators and Tri-State officials have been trying to get a bill like this passed for the last three legislative sessions.

In sum, no tolls allowed on the Brent Spence bridge in Northern Kentucky, but tolls would be allowed on the I-69 Ohio River bridge in Western Kentucky.

[seicer]

Because politics.

[The Ghostbuster]

You can't divorce politics from anything, in my view.

[hbelkins]

There's a loud anti-toll contingent in northern Kentucky, especially Covington. My guess is that if a bill to toll a Brent Spence Bridge replacement was introduced in the General Assembly, it would pass. The NKY delegation isn't that influential.

[mvak36]

There's a loud anti-toll contingent in northern Kentucky, especially Covington. My guess is that if a bill to toll a Brent Spence Bridge replacement was introduced in the General Assembly, it would pass. The NKY delegation isn't that influential.

Is there any chance of a bill making it to the General Assembly in the near future?

[hbelkins]

There's a loud anti-toll contingent in northern Kentucky, especially Covington. My guess is that if a bill to toll a Brent Spence Bridge replacement was introduced in the General Assembly, it would pass. The NKY delegation isn't that influential.

Is there any chance of a bill making it to the General Assembly in the near future?

Not until next year. Today is the last day of this year's session.

[The Ghostbuster]

What is the likelihood of such a bill being proposed in the near future?

[hbelkins]

Depends on whether or not the two states want to move forward with building a bridge and putting tolls on it. There's still a coalition that persists in claiming that an outer eastern/southeastern loop (with a new bridge somewhere upstream from Newport) would be cheaper than a parallel to the Brent Spence and all the work that will have to be done to the interchanges at either end.

[codyg1985]

Depends on whether or not the two states want to move forward with building a bridge and putting tolls on it. There's still a coalition that persists in claiming that an outer eastern/southeastern loop (with a new bridge somewhere upstream from Newport) would be cheaper than a parallel to the Brent Spence and all the work that will have to be done to the interchanges at either end.

Would this also be upstream of the I-275 east bridge? Either way, a new alignment upstream of Newport doesn't really seem to fix the problem.

[hbelkins]

Depends on whether or not the two states want to move forward with building a bridge and putting tolls on it. There's still a coalition that persists in claiming that an outer eastern/southeastern loop (with a new bridge somewhere upstream from Newport) would be cheaper than a parallel to the Brent Spence and all the work that will have to be done to the interchanges at either end.

Would this also be upstream of the I-275 east bridge? Either way, a new alignment upstream of Newport doesn't really seem to fix the problem.

Yes, and I originally meant to mention that. Detractors are pushing the fact that supporters of this project include real estate developers who would like better access to land in Campbell County, Ky.

I just wonder how far people, especially commercial vehicle drivers, are willing to go out of their way to avoid delays and backups. Last time I came south on I-75 through Cincinnati, I went around the east side on I-275 to avoid traffic heading to a Bengals game, but I might have done that anyway because I'm a roadgeek. I just wonder if a trucker would think the extra mileage to go around on I-275, or an even more remote outer bypass, would be worth it.

I got my fill of I-75 in Ohio when I ran into backups in the afternoon in the vicinity of the Norwood Lateral, the Lockland split and the Glendale areas on my way to some meet several years ago (possibly Fort Wayne). So, the next time I would have been going in that direction (the most recent Dayton meet) I opted for a routing of basically KY 11, US 68 and OH 73 to avoid Cincinnati completely. But again, that wouldn't be unusual for me to do.

[Grzrd]

Here is a snip from the Projects List of the 2016 Recommended Highway Plan (p. 51/119 of pdf):

This article reports on a post-legislative session review and includes the scheduled timeline for progress on the I-69 Ohio River Bridge:

Pensions funds, I-69 funding and more financial transparency were among the topics Tuesday as state legislators came together for "Coffee with Kyndle: A Legislative Review Breakfast."
Panel participants included senators Dorsey Ridley and Joe Bowen, and representatives Jim Gooch Jr., Suzanne Miles and David Watkins ....
"The I-69 (bridge) corridor is alive and well, and the road plan we put before Gov. Matt Bevin is better than I ever dreamed," Ridley explained. "Simply because in 2016, we have $2.8 million for the environment survey; in 2017, we have $6 million for the design phase; then in 2018, there's $20 million for right of way acquisition; and in 2019 there's money to do the utility moving. These are all things that have to happen before we turn the first spade of dirt ... I do have to give Gov. Bevin credit because he pushed the original environmental piece forward, and the rest of it came rapidly."

the Executive Summary of the 2004 Draft Environmental Impact Statement for I-69 between Evansville and Henderson ....
Alternative 2 was identified as the Preferred Alternative (page 23/23 of pdf; page S-23 of document)

Steven Ross, Transportation Engineering Branch Manager at KYTC, just posted the entire Ohio River Bridge DEIS.  Links to sections of the DEIS can found in the "Henderson to Evansville - Proposed Interstate 69" section at the bottom of this page:
http://transportation.ky.gov/Planning/Pages/I-69.aspx

a January, 2014 I-69 SIU 4 in Henderson County Feasibility Study that KYTC prepared ... BridgeLink's favored alternative is known as Alternative 1a .... (p. 51/82 of pdf; p. 32 of document)

....
This January 28 article reports on Kyndle CEO Brad Schneider's belief that the environmental study will focus on the above two corridors:

Kyndle CEO Brad Schneider ....
The governor bumped up the environmental impact study on the bridge from 2018 to 2017. He also added $300,000 to the project and added $41 million for pre-construction work in years 2019-21.
Schneider thinks this signals that Bevin is going to update the environmental impact study on the old route, examine the new route and do a total revenue study that will jibe with the one done in Indiana last fall.

It will be interesting to see whether KYTC will be required to study additional corridors as part of the environmental process, or, in the alternative, whether information gleaned from the 2004 DEIS and the 2014 SIU 4 Henderson County Feasibility Study will allow KYTC to immediately focus on the above two corridors.

Having the environmental study in 2016, design in 2017, and ROW acquisition in 2018 seems like an aggressive timetable.  I'm guessing that FHWA will somehow allow use of the previous studies to be incorporated into a streamlined environmental process.

[The Ghostbuster]

The sooner the better.

[mvak36]

Having the environmental study in 2016, design in 2017, and ROW acquisition in 2018 seems like an aggressive timetable.  I'm guessing that FHWA will somehow allow use of the previous studies to be incorporated into a streamlined environmental process.

Wouldn't Indiana have to pay for some of this stuff? Like the design and environmental studies and whatever right of way they have on their side?

It would be cool if they can actually follow that schedule so that the bridge and Section 6 will be finished approximately the same time.

[hbelkins]

Funding is guaranteed only for the current biennium. Anything listed as occurring in 2018 and beyond is not set in stone, and can be pushed back farther.

[Rick Powell]

The best way to streamline the environmental process is to do a supplemental EIS. Some environmental studies will need to be refreshed to see if the original conclusions are still valid, and it would probably take at least a year since some species are seasonal in their survey requirements (sometimes only a one month window within a year). But that way, they wouldn't need to "reinvent the wheel" so to speak.  But if they want to look at something completely different, it will probably take extra time.

[mukade]

Local leaders are extremely hopeful and optimistic ahead of Indiana Governor Mike Pence's 'major announcement' regarding I-69 next week. The announcement, which is to be held in the shadow of the Twin Bridges, is expected to center around the possibility of an I-69 bridge.

After Setbacks, I-69 Bridge Project Gaining Momentum (tristatehomepage.com)

[thefro]

https://twitter.com/69BridgeLink/status/746060035197898752

Ellis Park is actually in Kentucky (despite being on the N. Side of the Ohio River), so I'd expect Bevin to be there as well.

I think a P3 announcement may actually be happening.

[Henry]

About time that thing is finally going to get built!

[hbelkins]

https://twitter.com/69BridgeLink/status/746060035197898752

Ellis Park is actually in Kentucky (despite being on the N. Side of the Ohio River), so I'd expect Bevin to be there as well.

I think a P3 announcement may actually be happening.

There's been no publicity at all on this in Kentucky regarding the governor's involvement, or what might be on the agenda.

[thefro]

https://twitter.com/69BridgeLink/status/746060035197898752

Ellis Park is actually in Kentucky (despite being on the N. Side of the Ohio River), so I'd expect Bevin to be there as well.

I think a P3 announcement may actually be happening.

There's been no publicity at all on this in Kentucky regarding the governor's involvement, or what might be on the agenda.

I guess it is an election year for Pence, but I would think this would be bigger than just INDOT kicking in some environmental/design work money.

Here's a little more detail on Bridgelink's Facebook page that they posted last night



Section 5 is under construction and Section 6 is in the design phase, so there's really nothing else to announce except the bridge.

[lordsutch]

If the SIU 3 work is coming in under budget, Indiana might have some more money to kick in toward environmental, design, and ROW for the SIU 4 bridge. That's all I can figure unless they got one of the FASTLANE grants that haven't been announced yet.

[thefro]

http://www.cityofhendersonky.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=186

HENDERSON, Ky. -- An announcement described as having a "major I-69 infrastructure" update from Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin is set for Thursday at Ellis Park.
According to a news release from BridgeLink, the announcement will take place at 1:30 p.m. in the south parking lot at Ellis Park.

If the SIU 3 work is coming in under budget, Indiana might have some more money to kick in toward environmental, design, and ROW for the SIU 4 bridge. That's all I can figure unless they got one of the FASTLANE grants that haven't been announced yet.

If the tolling study turned out well, tolls should be able to pay for most of the bridge (based on the Bridgelink redesign which is ~$600 million cheaper).  The money should add up in theory.

[hbelkins]

Kentucky announced Bevin's participation on Tuesday. Pence's participation was announced at least a week ahead of time. I find the states' different approaches to announcing gubernatorial events interesting.

[Avalanchez71]

I have never had a problem traversing the Ohio on the current US 41.  What is the big deal?