Potential Downtown and East End Bridge Types Narrowed to Three
July 19, 2006 – Design teams for the Downtown and East End Bridges have each
narrowed potential bridge types to three.
“The bridge types that you see here today are a reflection of what we’ve heard from
the community. Their feedback throughout this four-step process has been extremely
helpful,” said J.B. Williams, an engineer with Michael Baker, Jr., Inc, and section
design manager for the Downtown Bridge.
The recommended three bridge types for the Downtown Bridge include a three-span
thru arch, a single-tower cable-stayed and a three-tower cable stayed bridge.
Potential bridge types for the East End Bridge include a diamond tower cable-stayed
bridge, a median-tower cable-stayed bridge with outside cables and a median-tower
cable-stayed with center cables. (Details about the bridge types are included in
an attached fact sheet.)
All six bridge types have been presented to the stakeholder groups working with
the project team. They include all four Area Advisory Teams, the Regional Advisory
Committee and both Historic Preservation Advisory Teams. The designs will be available
on the project Web site, www.kyinbridges.com, by the end of the
week.
A Bridge Type Selection Committee, made up of representatives from Kentucky and
Indiana, will make the final decision on which bridge type will be selected for
each location. Feedback from the public throughout the Bridge Type Selection process
will be considered, along with detailed information about cost, long-term maintenance
and constructability.
Following the selection of the bridge type, each bridge design team will spend about
two more years completing detailed design work. This phase will include additional
public involvement. Discussions with the community will include aesthetic features
such as lighting, colors and textures.
“Continued public input over the next two years is very important,” said Dan Carrier,
an engineer with Parsons Brinckerhoff, and section design manager for the East End
Bridge. “There are a number of highly visible features that are still yet to be
determined. “
The Ohio River Bridges Project addresses the long-term, cross-river transportation
needs in the Louisville-Southern Indiana region. In 2003, 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 will 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 with construction tentatively
scheduled to be complete by 2020. For more information, visit the project Web site,
at www.kyinbridges.com.