Ohio River Bridges Project

The Downtown Crossing section of the Louisville and Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project has been approved a $452m loan by US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

Funded through a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan, the Downtown Crossing project involves building two bridges, with one carrying six lanes of northbound traffic of Interstate 65 (I-65) between Louisville and Jeffersonville, Indiana.

The John F Kennedy Memorial Bridge, which currently carries all I-65 traffic, will be revamped and reconfigured to carry only I-65 southbound traffic on six lanes.

The Kennedy Interchange, where I-65, I-64 and I-71 meet in downtown Louisville, will also be reconstructed to improve access and remove design deficiencies and safety hazards.

"It’s a great example of two states working together."

Secretary Foxx said: "The Ohio River Bridges project will help residents and businesses get where they need to go faster and safer.

"It’s a great example of two states working together to strengthen their shared economic interests, and one the Department of Transportation was happy to invest in."

The total cost of the Downtown Crossing is around $1.3bn, and represents a half of the bi-state Ohio River Bridges project, which also comprises the new East End Bridge, also spanning the Ohio River eight miles to the north.

Indiana will fund the East End Crossing Project that links Prospect, Kentucky, and Utica, Indiana, which is also estimated to cost about $1.3bn.

Image: The new funding will support the construction of the Downtown Crossing section of the Louisville- Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project. Photo: courtesy of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.