Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear last week appointed the 11 members of the new Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure Authority.
The new statewide transportation agency was created this year to oversee the financing of major projects in Kentucky as well as the pending $4.1 billion Ohio River Bridges project that is expected to be jointly financed with Indiana.
A smaller group already has been appointed to establish the framework for creating a bi-state authority to determine the financing plan for the Ohio River Bridges, which involves building two new bridges across the Ohio River and reconfiguring a major downtown Louisville interchange known as “spaghetti junction” where Interstates 64, 65, and 71 converge.
Kentucky’s share of the project cost is estimated at $2.92 billion. Indiana, whose share is $1.15 billion, has offset a portion of its cost already by setting aside $600 million from the leasing of the northern Indiana toll road. Indiana’s legislature also has agreed to create an Ohio River Bridges Commission to work with Kentucky on the financing plan.
