Downtown Bridge Concepts to be Presented at Open Houses
Louisville, KY (November 22, 2005) – The public will have its first look at what
a new bridge next to the Kennedy Bridge might look like. On Nov. 29 and Dec. 1 the
Downtown Bridge design team will present about preliminary bridgeconcepts at public
open houses that are part of Step Two in the Four-Step Bridge Type Selection Process.
During both open houses, at 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., members of the Downtown Bridge
design team will present the preliminary concepts to the public and ask for feedback
on preferences. Before and after the presentations, attendees will be able to ask
questions of project team members and tour the meeting area to view informational
boards about the bridge location and design parameters.
“Feedback that we receive on these bridge concepts will help shape the development
of more detailed bridge alternatives. We’re showing people ‘bridge blueprints’ right
now, and at the next set of open houses, we’ll be able to show them more detailed
images of various bridge design alternatives,” said J.B. Williams, an engineer with
Michael Baker, Jr., Inc., and section design manager for the Downtown Bridge. “The
public has been asking what the two new bridges will look like, and this is the
first time that we can actually show them pictures of what the future might look
like.”
Other open houses will be held throughout the Bridge Type Selection Process. The
Step Two open houses for the East End Bridge will be on Dec. 13 and 15, 2005.
The one-year Bridge Type Selection Process consists of four steps, which include
numerous opportunities for community input. During each stage of the process, the
design teams will present their work for comments at public meetings and at meetings
with a Regional Advisory Committee as well as groups of stakeholders on both sides
of the river called Area Advisory Teams. The general public is encouraged to comment
throughout the Bridge Type Selection Process at the various public meetings, on
written comment forms submitted to the project office or through the on-line comment
form on the project’s Web site.
The Ohio River Bridges Project addresses the long-term, cross-river transportation
needs in the Louisville-Southern Indiana region. The Federal Highway Administration,
Indiana Department of Transportation and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet agreed
that the only feasible way to meet cross-river transportation needs was to construct
two new bridges and rebuild the Kennedy Interchange. Of a variety of options studied,
the alternative selected would best achieve the transportation needs with the least
amount of impact on environmental resources and the communities.
The Bridges Project is currently in the design phase and is tentatively scheduled
to be complete by 2020.