The states of Ohio and Kentucky have officially launched the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, one of the largest infrastructure projects in the United States.
“Today, after decades of planning and preparation, we are finally breaking ground on a solution to the traffic headaches and interstate commerce delays caused by the overcrowded Brent Spence Bridge,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said at a May 8 groundbreaking ceremony.
This phase of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project will build a new state-of-the-art cable-stayed companion bridge to the existing Brent Spence Bridge, which crosses the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Covington, Ky. It is considered among the worst trucking bottlenecks in the United States.
More than $1 billion in freight passes through the Interstate-71/Interstate-75 corridor daily. The existing Brent Spence Bridge, which has served the region since 1963, carries significantly more traffic than it was designed to handle.
In addition to constructing the companion bridge, this $4.05 billion phase of the project includes improvements to the existing Brent Spence Bridge for local traffic.
“This historic project will deliver safer travel for our families, create good-paying construction jobs, boost national commerce, and ease congestion for commuters,” said Beshear.
The project is partially funded by two federal grants totaling $1.63 billion, among the largest transportation grants in U.S. history. Each state will cover the cost of its own highway work and share the cost of the companion bridge, expected to open in 2031.
In November 2020, structural damage resulting from a fiery crash on the Brent Spence Bridge required a six-week closure for repairs.
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