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[codyg1985]

AHTD has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for studying innovative financing options for the I-69 corridor.

Notice is hereby given that the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department is seeking proposals from qualified firms to prepare an Innovative Financing Study for the Interstate 69 Corridor from Indianapolis, Indiana to the Mexican Border in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The work will generally consist of an innovative financing plan for development, construction, maintenance, and operation of this proposed Interstate facility which passes through eight states.

How much of I-69 is funded?

[Grzrd]

Got an email from AHTD this a.m. re timetable for choosing consultant to conduct the study.  Pertinent part as follows:

We do not yet have a timetable for awarding the project.
Yes, Arkansas is the lead state in this seven-state effort  (IN, KY, TN, MS, AR, LA and TX).

How much of I-69 is funded?

Not sure.  I think I may have come across the following at random times:

Indiana:  I think it is funded from Evansville to near Bloomington.
Kentucky:  I think I remember a small letting for identification of necessary upgrades to parkways and I-24.
Tennessee: TN 385/ Future I-269 mostly constructed, and most, if not all, of Tennessee remainder under construction.
Great Mississippi River Bridge: I think I remember approximately $100,000 for a preliminary study (cannot even remember if AHTD or MDOT)

[ShawnP]

Big issue for Kentucky and Indiana is a new river crossing at Evansville. At lowest end it will probably be around 1 billion. 50 million or so has been allocated to I-69 upgrades in western Kentucky for this year if I am correct.

[codyg1985]

Big issue for Kentucky and Indiana is a new river crossing at Evansville. At lowest end it will probably be around 1 billion. 50 million or so has been allocated to I-69 upgrades in western Kentucky for this year if I am correct.

The bridge will cost $1 billion or all of the necessary upgrades in KY up to I-164?

[wriddle082]

Big issue for Kentucky and Indiana is a new river crossing at Evansville. At lowest end it will probably be around 1 billion. 50 million or so has been allocated to I-69 upgrades in western Kentucky for this year if I am correct.

The bridge will cost $1 billion or all of the necessary upgrades in KY up to I-164?

I think the bridge alone and associated Henderson bypass would end up being $1 billion.  Kentucky would end up bearing most, if not all, of the cost of the bridge since the state line is the low water mark on the north side of the river (IOW, the river is entirely in Kentucky).

Another upgrade that would also possibly have to be done is at least a six-lane widening of I-24 b/w the Julian Carroll/Purchase and the Wendell Ford/Western KY Parkways.  This stretch would potentially be only the third interstate triplex ever (24/66/69).  The Tennessee River crossing could be an issue here, since it is currently twin tied-arch bridges.  The Cumberland River bridge is not nearly as intricate, therefore easier to widen.

Either way, I see two-lane flyovers needed at the Julian Carroll/Purchase cloverleaf interchange with I-24 for SB traffic and the Wendell Ford/Western KY cloverleaf interchange with Edward Breathitt/Pennyrile for NB traffic.

Kentucky may not need to build a great deal of new roadway, but they do have some complicated projects that await.

[Grzrd]

How much of I-69 is funded?

Arkansas 2010-13 STIP, which was released in April, lists a FY 2010 letting for the Charles W. Dean Memorial Bridge over Mississippi River for "Phase I".  The project has an earmark of $8.67 million and the total letting is anticipated to be $10.35 million.  The recent I-69 book estimates total cost of project to be around $500 million.

The STIP also lists a FY 2010 letting for "Phase I" of 8.60 miles of a "new terrain" Monticello bypass.  That project has an earmark of $70.49 million and the total letting is anticipated to be $88.1 million.

http://www.arkansashighways.com/stip/Final%20STIP%202010-2013%20%20Web%20Version.pdf

I-69 Corridor (Hwy. 65-Miss. Rt. 1) (GRB) (Ph I) (F)   069   2010   Phase I    $10,346        $8,666
Monticello Bypass (Phase I) (F)   069   2010   New Location    8.60     $88,107        $70,486

I don't know if anticipated 2010 letting dates have been pushed back in anticipation of alternative financing study.

[Grzrd]

Big issue for Kentucky and Indiana is a new river crossing at Evansville. At lowest end it will probably be around 1 billion. 50 million or so has been allocated to I-69 upgrades in western Kentucky for this year if I am correct.

The bridge will cost $1 billion or all of the necessary upgrades in KY up to I-164?

I think the bridge alone and associated Henderson bypass would end up being $1 billion.  Kentucky would end up bearing most, if not all, of the cost of the bridge since the state line is the low water mark on the north side of the river (IOW, the river is entirely in Kentucky).

Article about I-69 KY in today's Evansville Courier-Press.  (Indiana reponsible for 1/3 of bridge project):

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/sep/18/no-headline---18a04i-69/

The highway will run 156 miles south though Kentucky from Henderson to Fulton. The total cost of the bridge and 13-mile section near Henderson is estimated at $1 billion, according to Ted Merryman, the I-69 Project Manager for Kentucky.
"Kentucky will be responsible for about two-thirds of the funding and Indiana will be responsible for a third of the funding," Merryman said in his overview presentation.
Hancock said another big step for the Kentucky portion of I-69 took place this spring when the state legislature included $51 million to "make tweaks to existing parkways within the corridor to conform to federal highway standards" when the project moves forward. In Kentucky, the highway will follow several existing highways, including I-24, the Western Kentucky, Purchase and Pennyrile parkways.

Related guardrail improvements to the existing highways were recently completed:

One example of the upgrades is the recent guardrail improvements made to the parkways, Hancock said. The guardrail projects on the Purchase, Western Kentucky and Pennyrile parkways were completed within the last few weeks, ahead of schedule

[Grzrd]

Earlier today I received an email from AHTD's Public Affairs Office regarding an update on the study.  Reply is as follows:

For the I-69 Innovative Financing Study, the consultant (PBS&J) was selected by the I-69 Steering Committee in February.  The contract is currently under negotiation.  We hope to have the contract executed shortly. 
The anticipated schedule is:
-early deliverables of the preliminary evaluation of the feasibility of innovative financing options for the I-69 Corridor in each individual state to be submitted within 4 months,
-the final study to be completed within 12 months.

I wonder for how many states the word "toll" will appear in the final report?

[mightyace]

^^^

Only the ones who can't find a euphemism for the word "toll!" 

[Grzrd]

I just received an email update from AHTD regarding progress on the study.  AHTD has entered into an agreement with Atkins North America and issued a notice to proceed on July 28, 2011.  Work on the contract is already underway and a kick-off meeting is scheduled on September 14th in Memphis with the consultant and the  I-69 Steering Committee.

[Grzrd]

Update from AHTD (I did not receive an answer as to whether preliminary report will be available for public review; I assume only final report will be available):

Work is being done on a preliminary report. There is an I-69 steering committee meeting scheduled for 2/1/12 when the consultant will present and receive comments at the meeting.

[Grzrd]

Update from AHTD (I did not receive an answer as to whether preliminary report will be available for public review; I assume only final report will be available):

Work is being done on a preliminary report. There is an I-69 steering committee meeting scheduled for 2/1/12 when the consultant will present and receive comments at the meeting.

I just received another email update from AHTD.  The optimistic projection is that a written report will be produced for review by this summer:

The I-69 Innovative Financing Study is expected to be completed by this summer.  The next step for them is to schedule and conduct a meeting/conference call with each member state.  Then they will wrap up the report and do a final presentation in Memphis to the I-69 steering committee.

[Grzrd]

^ I recently received an email update regarding the study from AHTD.  Atkins North America is now in the process of weaving MAP-21 into its report:

Yes, we had a conference call with the Consultant and FHWA last week regarding the comments on the final draft report.  Due to the passage of MAP-21, we have requested the Consultant to include the new legislation into the final report.  The Consultant plans to give us an estimated completion in the next few weeks.

Perhaps a report by the New Year?

[Grzrd]

Perhaps a report by the New Year?

No surprise that the above hope was too optimistic; however the end does appear to be in sight.  AN AHTD public information officer forwarded a message from someone in Planning:

I expect the study be completed within a couple of months.  The delay was due to some concerns from FHWA.  It has been addressed.  Please let him know to check back with us in a couple of months.  I can’t release any document until all the states are satisfied with the final draft report.

It sounds like FHWA is now OK with the report; now it is just a matter of having each affected state sign off on it.

edit

The consultant, Atkins North America, has released its I-69 Innovative Financing Study Final Findings and the related Executive Summary. Discussion of these materials can be found on this thread.