Ohio and Kentucky are working together to aggressively pursue future funding opportunities that will support construction of a new bridge, as well as improvements to the existing Brent Spence Bridge and eight-mile corridor. A new bridge is vital to improving this national freight corridor, ranked by the American Transportation Research Institute as second in the nation in their 2022 Top Truck Bottlenecks List.

The new companion bridge to the Brent Spence Bridge will provide an additional river crossing to the west of the existing structure.

In addition to reducing congestion, improving safety, and increasing access to the central business districts and local communities throughout the corridor, current plans call for the separation of local and through traffic. Local traffic will use the existing Brent Spence Bridge; through traffic will use the new companion bridge.

Governors DeWine and Beshear recently signed a memorandum of understanding solidifying the process that will ensure project readiness. The memorandum also directs transportation officials in both states to begin preparing for construction.

A preferred alternative for a new companion bridge was approved in 2012. That decision was based on a federally-prescribed evaluation process that included detailed technical and environmental analysis, as well as comprehensive public engagement.

Opportunities to reduce the cost and footprint of the final decision are being evaluated based on current traffic volumes and public feedback. The 2012 decision is not being reopened because the goal of building a new companion structure to the west of the existing bridge remains unchanged – to improve safety and ease congestion by providing additional capacity that separates local and through traffic. The preferred alternative – with potential adjustments to design – meets that objective.

You can read more about the Preferred Alternative in the Document Center.

Contractors who are looking for additional information on the procurement process should click here ...