Kentucky, Ohio Governors Outline Tolling Plan, Fast Deadlines for Major Bridge Project

AASHTO Journal, 30 January 2015

Govs. Steve Beshear of Kentucky and John Kasich of Ohio jointly announced they are directing their agencies to quickly develop plans to rebuild and expand the Brent Spence Bridge corridor connecting their states across the Ohio River. The plan will use tolls, cost-cutting innovations and most likely private partners, they said.

Brent Spence Bridge The Brent Spence Bridge connecting Ohio and Kentucky.
 Photo/Mark Hendricks

That bridge, which opened in 1963, carries both Interstate 75 and I-71 traffic through the greater Cincinnati and northern Kentucky areas, and is a major conduit for as far north as Michigan and as far south as Florida.

A project to add a new bridge there and revamp the old one has a reported price tag of $2.6 billion, and higher construction costs are expected the longer it takes to begin work. The governors said rising costs are driving up the project’s price tag by $7 million a month, and that “a five-year delay in construction would increase costs by more than $400 million, driving the current total over $3 billion.”

Under the bi-state accord, Beshear and Kasich charged the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the Ohio Department of Transportation and their consultants with saving costs through innovative design, construction and financing techniques. The agencies are to report back by March 30 on cost savings and “build a viable financial plan before year’s end.”

Under that schedule, state lawmakers could approve the plans in early 2016. Then the states could select a project team by 2016 and begin construction as soon as 2017.

“The plan is expected to include a public-private partnership to build, maintain and finance the project,” the announcement said.

The governors agreed to split toll revenues and construction costs evenly between the two states, but provide frequent commuters with a 50 percent discount, similar to an earlier agreement between Indiana and Kentucky on their joint Ohio River Bridges Project at Louisville.

A federally approved 2012 environmental plan for the corridor calls for building a new bridge downtown, revamping the existing Brent Spence Bridge and improving highway approaches in both states. It would double the number of Interstate lanes across the river to 16 from eight now, relieving congestion that causes major safety, mobility and congestion problems for the region.

“We simply cannot afford more delay, distraction and gridlock,” Beshear said. “The Brent Spence Bridge corridor must be expanded to meet the safety and mobility needs of a growing, prosperous region. Jobs and lives depend on it.”

Kasich said: “We are a region that makes things and grows things so it is essential to have a robust infrastructure. Without funding for the Brent Spence Bridge, commerce and safety will suffer and we can’t have that. Our continued cooperation will help make this project a reality and keep it moving forward quickly.”

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