Official groundbreaking held for new Ohio River bridge | News

JEFFERSONVILLE, IN (WAVE) – After nearly four decades of talk, it's official. Ground has been broken on the east end bridge in the Ohio River bridges project.

Governors Mitch Daniels of Indiana and Steve Beshear of Kentucky, along with Federal Highway administrator Victor Mendez and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, were present for the groundbreaking of an extension of Old Salem Road. The 3,000 foot extension is the first construction contract involved with the project.

According to a press release from the Indiana Department of Transportation and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, an exit from the bridge to Old Salem Road will be the first exit on the Indiana side of the river. The exit will provide access to the River Ridge Commerce Center and the Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville.

Under an agreement, Indiana is responsible for building the east end span while Kentucky will build a new bridge between downtown Louisville and Jeffersonville, Indiana.

Construction on both bridge spans is scheduled to begin in 2013. The new east end bridge, which will connect Utica, Indiana to Prospect, Kentucky, should be open to traffic by 2017. The new downtown bridge is scheduled to open in 2018.

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