New Ohio River bridge between Indiana, Kentucky expected to open before Christmas

Once completed, the new downtown bridge and the revamped Kennedy Bridge will each carry six lanes of one-direction traffic.

The early opening of a new interstate bridge in downtown Louisville isn’t expected to end construction of the larger downtown Ohio River bridge project any sooner than originally projected. The new bridge, begun in 2013, is expected to carry I-65 northbound traffic, and the Kennedy Bridge will be used for southbound vehicles by October 2016.

But before the new bridge opens for traffic, it will be opened so pedestrians can get a close look.

He said the exact opening date hasn’t been determined yet, but workers are ahead of schedule and on budget. Beshear, who made the announcement from the deck of the new span, said it was exciting to “stand on a bridge that was for decades a nebulous vision”.

Crews broke ground on the long-awaited project in 2013.

“I think they will still be frustrated with having one bridge and not knowing what is going to happen with the Kennedy Bridge being worked on, but I think also the tolls are going to make them wonder if anybody wants to come here through they will”, Gatewood said.

The new Downtown Bridge will open before Christmas.

Beshear said, “It will allow the peoples of Kentucky and Indiana to walk out and take ownership of this bridge”. Then crews will keep making more improvements to restore the adjacent Kennedy bridge which now carries Interstate-65 across the Ohio river.

Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore, (R), said, “This is a huge win for Louisville, Indiana, Kentucky and all of the Midwest”. The early-completion incentive is capped at $12 million (300 days), Peterson said. The East End bridge should be done in late 2016 or early 2017. If construction should run over, the company would have to pay $80,000 a day for each day past December. 9 with no cap.