$1.6B awarded for Brent Spence Bridge project; Work to begin in 2023
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $1.635 billion for the construction of the long-awaited companion bridge to the Brent Spence Bridge, according to Governors Andy Beshear and Mike DeWine.
The project, which will provide traffic release, increased safety and will do so without tolls, is expected to begin in late 2023, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said.
A majority of the project is expected to be completed in 2029, the governor added.
The money will also be used to make improvements to the eight-mile Brent Spence Bridge Corridor, which runs from the Western Hills Viaduct in Ohio to the Dixie Highway in Kentucky, Mayor Aftab Pureval’s office explained.
There will also be enhanced pedestrian access across I-75 in Cincinnati to reconnect downtown with western neighborhoods, Beshear said.
Cincinnati will regain nearly 10 acres to develop in the downtown area.
“This project will not only ease the traffic nightmare that drivers have suffered through for years, but it will also help ensure that the movement of the supply chain doesn’t stall on this nationally significant corridor,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said.
“Once complete, drivers will have a more enjoyable and efficient drive and we’ll have the infrastructure in place to support the booming economy in this part of the state,” Gov. Beshear added.
In Kentucky, Beshear says the project will include a new storm sewer system to reduce flooding and improve local roads, including enhanced pedestrian and bicycle facilities, in the area of the existing and new bridge.
The funding will be split between Ohio and Kentucky over a multi-year grant agreement, the Cincinnati mayor said.
Below is a breakdown of where the $1.635 billion will come from:
- $250 million from a Multimodal Projects Discretionary Grant (MEGA), which assists large, complex projects that are economically significant.
- $1.385 billion from the Bridge Investment Program. This money will be distributed under a multi-year grant agreement with ODOT and KYTC, a new funding mechanism created to assist large bridge projects. This was the second federal funding application submitted jointly by the two states.
Originally, Ohio and Kentucky were seeking $1.66 billion in federal grant funding.
While they were not awarded the full amount, the $1.635 billion is a historic amount, the mayor’s office says.
Source: WXIX Fox 19