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I-69 Ohio River Bridge

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

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NE2

pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".


US 41

Soft of, kind of, but not really. The 2nd bridge you speak of is a good 11 miles away from Owensboro.
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vdeane

Still closer than 25 miles.  Plus Evansville is 2-3 times larger than Owensboro.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

tdindy88

The bridge is there FOR Owensboro however. There would be no reason to build a four-lane cable-suspended bridge if there weren't a major city nearby. Personally, I'd leave the US 41 bridges alone (rebuild them perhaps, or something like that) and build the I-69 bridge upstream a mile or so. The US 41 bridges could be used for the local traffic from Henderson to Evansville, I'd imagine that a lot of the traffic that bridge receives now is for that purpose while the I-69 bridge can serve regional traffic passing through. In a way, that's exactly what the Owensboro bridges do, with US 231 and the Natcher serving as a regional route.

Grzrd

#204
Quote from: US 41 on January 28, 2014, 04:53:37 PM
The 2nd bridge you speak of is a good 11 miles away from Owensboro.
Quote from: tdindy88 on January 28, 2014, 08:42:45 PM
The bridge is there FOR Owensboro however.

This article (behind paywall) reports that Owensboro's mayor apparently wants the William Natcher/US 231 Bridge to become the I-69 Bridge:

Quote
Delivering his annual State of the City address Thursday, Owensboro Mayor Ron Payne called for changing the route of the proposed Interstate 69 that would bring it through Owensboro and eliminate the need to build a new $1 billion bridge across the Ohio River near Henderson.
Payne's proposal to reroute I-69 through Owensboro instead of a Evansville-Henderson corridor makes use of the William H. Natcher Bridge at Maceo, the former U.S. 60 bypass and the Natcher and Western Kentucky parkways.
"Work needs to continue to bring an interstate to the most progressive city in the commonwealth," Payne said. "I-69 should be revisited. A billion dollars or more can be saved by coming an additional 30 miles down the Western Kentucky Parkway and moving north on the Natcher Parkway, saving the need to construct an additional bridge over the Ohio River. This needs to be seriously looked at. Somebody need to explain to me why this should not be done."

Any takers for providing the explanation?

silverback1065

#205
Quote from: Grzrd on February 06, 2014, 08:00:51 PM
Quote from: US 41 on January 28, 2014, 04:53:37 PM
The 2nd bridge you speak of is a good 11 miles away from Owensboro.
Quote from: tdindy88 on January 28, 2014, 08:42:45 PM
The bridge is there FOR Owensboro however.

This article (behind paywall) reports that Owensboro's mayor apparently wants the William Natcher/US 231 Bridge to become the I-69 Bridge:

Quote
Delivering his annual State of the City address Thursday, Owensboro Mayor Ron Payne called for changing the route of the proposed Interstate 69 that would bring it through Owensboro and eliminate the need to build a new $1 billion bridge across the Ohio River near Henderson.
Payne's proposal to reroute I-69 through Owensboro instead of a Evansville-Henderson corridor makes use of the William H. Natcher Bridge at Maceo, the former U.S. 60 bypass and the Natcher and Western Kentucky parkways.
"Work needs to continue to bring an interstate to the most progressive city in the commonwealth," Payne said. "I-69 should be revisited. A billion dollars or more can be saved by coming an additional 30 miles down the Western Kentucky Parkway and moving north on the Natcher Parkway, saving the need to construct an additional bridge over the Ohio River. This needs to be seriously looked at. Somebody need to explain to me why this should not be done."

Any takers for providing the explanation?

Don't like this idea, he only wants the road to go through his city because he is the mayor, he makes up an excuse with the so called money saved.  this idea will not happen, they have already started, and in many cases finished the highway, it is going near eville and henderson whether he likes it or not.

tdindy88

And where is I-69 supposed to go north of the Natcher Bridge. Do we have to reroute it it all the way up to Washington? Crane? Do we just renumber all of I-69 in Southern Indiana? Especially considering the fact that I-164 is getting a new number. This city has a fetish for interstates apparently, and not just any interstate but a 2-di interstate, 3-dis apparently won't do. But I agree: it won't happen.

hbelkins

Great idea. Now that Kentucky is already committed to spending millions of dollars to upgrade the Pennyrile and the WK/Pennyrile interchange, let's extend I-69 east along the WK (requiring spending even more money to upgrade that portion of the WK), upgrade the WK/Natcher interchange, upgrade the Natcher, convert US 231 to a full freeway on both sides of the river, then run I-69 west along I-64 to meet up with existing I-69.

The only people who are going to use that route are ones who are trying to clinch I-69. All other through I-69 traffic is going to use the Pennyrile and put up with the commercial stretch on US 41 south of the existing bridges, and traffic going to Owensboro is either going to use the Pennyrile and Audubon parkways, or US 431 from the WK (which is signed for Owensboro on an auxiliary exit sign).

Seriously, this is one of the goofier ideas I've heard.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Pete from Boston


Quote from: Grzrd on February 06, 2014, 08:00:51 PM
Quote from: US 41 on January 28, 2014, 04:53:37 PM
The 2nd bridge you speak of is a good 11 miles away from Owensboro.
Quote from: tdindy88 on January 28, 2014, 08:42:45 PM
The bridge is there FOR Owensboro however.

This article (behind paywall) reports that Owensboro's mayor apparently wants the William Natcher/US 231 Bridge to become the I-69 Bridge:

Quote
Delivering his annual State of the City address Thursday, Owensboro Mayor Ron Payne called for changing the route of the proposed Interstate 69 that would bring it through Owensboro and eliminate the need to build a new $1 billion bridge across the Ohio River near Henderson.
Payne's proposal to reroute I-69 through Owensboro instead of a Evansville-Henderson corridor makes use of the William H. Natcher Bridge at Maceo, the former U.S. 60 bypass and the Natcher and Western Kentucky parkways.
"Work needs to continue to bring an interstate to the most progressive city in the commonwealth," Payne said. "I-69 should be revisited. A billion dollars or more can be saved by coming an additional 30 miles down the Western Kentucky Parkway and moving north on the Natcher Parkway, saving the need to construct an additional bridge over the Ohio River. This needs to be seriously looked at. Somebody need to explain to me why this should not be done."

Any takers for providing the explanation?

Save a billion dollars?  The route only makes sense if...

No, I'm not going to argue with nonsense.

The Evansville media is always full of silly bits about wanting to be the next Owensboro (in other words, develop its waterfront).  This is because Evansville has a pretty forlorn and under-exploited riverfront.  Beyond that, Owensboro really has very little on Evansville.  Nonsense pronouncements like this give voters in Owensboro something to feel good about, and reason to vote for the guy who said it. 

I don't dislike Owensboro (who could hate the home of Bill Monroe?).  If I was an Owensboroan and saw that Henderson (Henderson!) was the one getting the mainline, I'd be annoyed, too.  But this is just empty boosterism. 


jnewkirk77

Our mayor has done a lot of good for the city.  He's had some really good ideas.  This ain't one of 'em.

andy

This would be a world class "bait and switch".  Build the Evansville-Bloomington leg, then change to pick up Jasper and Owensboro.

To make it work, they would have to build new terrain from Dale (US 231/I-64) to somewhere between Crane and Washington. Or crazier still, they could go all the way back to the early days of planning and divert I-69 to Bedford, IN.

I don't see it happening.





ATLRedSoxFan

Owensboro...Hmm. Moonlight Barbeque   :bigass:

hbelkins

There's a different BBQ joint that the locals prefer over Moonlite that might make a good place to eat if someone in the Owensboro area wants to host a meet to look at the US 60 construction.

There was a fire at Moonlite not too long ago but I don't think it was destroyed.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

ATLRedSoxFan

Quote from: hbelkins on February 07, 2014, 02:08:10 PM
There's a different BBQ joint that the locals prefer over Moonlite that might make a good place to eat if someone in the Owensboro area wants to host a meet to look at the US 60 construction.

There was a fire at Moonlite not too long ago but I don't think it was destroyed.

Times have changed since I lived there in '86-87

Captain Jack

#214

Quote
"Work needs to continue to bring an interstate to the most progressive city in the commonwealth," Payne said.

While the folks from Louisville and Lexington try to get their breath from laughing so hard, Bowling Green, now the states 3rd largest city, would like to address the crowd.

I have nothing against Owensboro, but this is borderline insanity. What's next, Hopkinsville demanding that 69 continue down the Pennyrile and then back up 24 over the lakes? At least there wouldn't be any new terrain construction and not any more out of the way than Madisonville-Beaver Dam-Owensboro-Dale back to 69 route.

If Owensboro wanted to be near a mainline 2di, they should have worked to bring 64 farther south in the early 60's.

Pete from Boston

I would aver that at this point, it is more reasonable to move Owensboro.

theline

Mayor Payne, why don't you have the Army Corps of Engineers come to your fair city and cut it loose from the rest of Kentucky? You can let it float down the river, until you get to the confluence of the Green River. Throw down your anchor at that point, 'cause that's where I-69 is coming through.

You're welcome.

He makes me ashamed to admit that I'm related to Paynes, though most of them have to good sense to spell it Paine, like the patriot Thomas Paine.

Revive 755

Quote from: Captain Jack on February 09, 2014, 12:47:07 PM
If Owensboro wanted to be near a mainline 2di, they should have worked to bring 64 farther south in the early 60's.

It would be much easier to just upgarde and sign the Audubon and Natcher Parkways as an even I-5x.

silverback1065

He can move his hopes to i-67 going through his city, but that highway will never be built

english si

Quote from: Revive 755 on February 09, 2014, 06:55:32 PMIt would be much easier to just upgarde and sign the Audubon and Natcher Parkways as an even I-5x.
I-58: Lexington - Elizabethtown - Owensboro - Henderson.

US 41

Quote from: Grzrd on February 06, 2014, 08:00:51 PM
Quote from: US 41 on January 28, 2014, 04:53:37 PM
The 2nd bridge you speak of is a good 11 miles away from Owensboro.
Quote from: tdindy88 on January 28, 2014, 08:42:45 PM
The bridge is there FOR Owensboro however.

This article (behind paywall) reports that Owensboro's mayor apparently wants the William Natcher/US 231 Bridge to become the I-69 Bridge:

Quote
Delivering his annual State of the City address Thursday, Owensboro Mayor Ron Payne called for changing the route of the proposed Interstate 69 that would bring it through Owensboro and eliminate the need to build a new $1 billion bridge across the Ohio River near Henderson.
Payne's proposal to reroute I-69 through Owensboro instead of a Evansville-Henderson corridor makes use of the William H. Natcher Bridge at Maceo, the former U.S. 60 bypass and the Natcher and Western Kentucky parkways.
"Work needs to continue to bring an interstate to the most progressive city in the commonwealth," Payne said. "I-69 should be revisited. A billion dollars or more can be saved by coming an additional 30 miles down the Western Kentucky Parkway and moving north on the Natcher Parkway, saving the need to construct an additional bridge over the Ohio River. This needs to be seriously looked at. Somebody need to explain to me why this should not be done."

Any takers for providing the explanation?

Owensboro might get an I-67 from Washington, IN to Bowling Green, KY. No chance on getting I-69. I think US 31 north of Indy may become I-67 as well.
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Captain Jack

Quote from: english si on February 10, 2014, 09:03:24 AM
Quote from: Revive 755 on February 09, 2014, 06:55:32 PMIt would be much easier to just upgarde and sign the Audubon and Natcher Parkways as an even I-5x.
I-58: Lexington - Elizabethtown - Owensboro - Henderson.

So basically we would have a 2nd interstate route linking Lexington with Evansville-Henderson. While it does seem ridiculous to have a 2nd route just so Owensboro can be on a mainline 2-di, I did drive that back from Lexington a couple of times when the New Albany 64 bridge was closed and it was close to rush hour in Louisville.

67 all the way to Washington seems silly, but if it is that important for Owensboro, then maybe route 67 from Bowling Green to Henderson. No new terrain construction and it's not duplicating an existing route. It could be sold as an access route for Bowling Green to points west such as St. Louis.

hbelkins

Quote from: Captain Jack on February 10, 2014, 08:15:38 PM

So basically we would have a 2nd interstate route linking Lexington with Evansville-Henderson. While it does seem ridiculous to have a 2nd route just so Owensboro can be on a mainline 2-di, I did drive that back from Lexington a couple of times when the New Albany 64 bridge was closed and it was close to rush hour in Louisville.

Last time I went to (through) Owensboro, I did 64-265-841-60. There's a bit of a slowdown along the 31W portion, but I wonder if that couldn't be skirted by taking I-65 south to KY 313 over to US 31W?

West of US 31W, US 60 moves fairly well despite the 55 mph speed limit and there are only a handful of traffic lights.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

US 41

THe I-67 route was proposed by some southern Indiana towns as well. It's goal was to make a second route / bypass around Louisville from Indy-Nashville. I sort of doubt I-67 will ever happen.
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jnewkirk77

#224
I wish they'd just drop the whole idea of moving I-69, or building I-67 ... whatever. It's not happening, not in this lifetime.

What they MIGHT be able to pull off, and it would cost literally a few thousand dollars versus millions, is this:
* Re-assign U.S. 60 to Kentucky 425, the Pennyrile Pkwy. between exits 76 & 77, and the Audubon Parkway
* Do the same with U.S. 231 on the Natcher Parkway.

Both 60 and 231 are well-known roads that span significant distances (60 is over 2600 miles long and 231 is over 900), and while they don't have the supposed "cachet" of a red-white-and-blue shield, I dare say this would make good sense.  Anyone can find them on a map.

And the cost would be mere pocket change.  They could even keep the 60 and 231 designations on the old roads as "Alternate" or "Business" routes as the case may be, or redesignate them as state highways.

UPDATE, 5:50 a.m. WEDNESDAY: My curiosity finally got the better of me as to the difference in distance from I-69 & I-64 to the cloverleaf of the WK & Pennyrile between the accepted route of I-69 as it will be until the bridge is built (I-164 - U.S. 41 - Pennyrile) and Ron Payne's way (I-64 - U.S. 231 - U.S. 60 - Natcher - WK), and it adds up to 77 miles versus 135.  I cannot for the life of me even fathom why the man even thinks this is a remotely valid option.  Deep down, I gotta believe people would pay a toll to cross a bridge to keep from having to drive 58 miles out of the way.



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