Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
On November 10, 2011, the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project was approved by the Federal Highway Administration, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Indiana Department of Transportation. The SDEIS was launched as a result of significant cost-saving proposals, as well as plans to utilize tolling to help meet revenue shortfalls. The cost-saving proposals approved in the SDEIS include:
- Reconstructing the Kennedy Interchange in its current location
- Removing the pedestrian/bicycle lane from the Downtown Bridge
- Reducing the lanes on the East End portion of the project
- Eliminating flyover ramps plus other design changes on the Indiana interstate approach to the newly expanded I-65 bridges
Public hearings were held on December 19 and 20, 2011, which were attended by hundreds of interested citizens providing input on the proposed changes. The Project is preparing responses to all public comments and is working on the Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS), which is expected to be completed in the spring of 2012.
Project Financial Plan
In January 2008, the project released its Initial Financial Plan to provide detailed cost estimates
for completing the Ohio River Bridges Project. The financial plan was updated in December
2010.
The Environmental Review
A Draft Environmental Impact Statement was published in Nov. 2001 analyzing nine specific
bridge locations in one- and two-bridge combinations. Public hearings were held in Indiana and
Kentucky, and more than 5,000 comments were received on the DEIS.
A Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was issued in April 2003. This document
identified the preferred alternative, responded to comments on the DEIS and included a plan to
minimize impacts to historic properties and other resources.
The Record of Decision
In September 2003, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a Record of Decision
(ROD) officially approving the construction of two new Ohio River bridges linking Louisville
and Southern Indiana, and reconstructing the Kennedy Interchange (Spaghetti Junction) where I-
65, I-71 and I-64 converge near downtown Louisville.
Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 contains a section that requires federal agencies
to take into account the effects of projects on properties listed or eligible to be listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. This is called "Section 106."
The project's potential effect on historic properties and districts was evaluated during the
environmental phase and resulted in the development of mitigation measures, which are spelled
out in the project's Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).
Historic Preservation Plans
Several Historic Preservation Plans have been developed or are under development as part of the
project's Memorandum of Agreement.