Bi-State Bridge Board Meets

The Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridges Authority meets today to continue working on a $4.1 billion plan of finance to build two new bridges across the Ohio River between the two states, and to reconfigure a major intersection in Louisville. The bi-state agency's agenda will include discussion about the selection of an advisory team.

Bridge authority members also will hear from officials with the Federal Highway Administration's office of innovative program delivery. The project has received federal grants and some state funding to hire a general engineering consultant, Community Transportation Solutions, and six design teams, which are overseen by the states' transportation departments.

But while studies, public hearings, and early design work have taken place on the massive project, it also stalled as Kentucky pondered how to finance its $2.92 billion share of the construction cost.

Indiana, whose share is $1.15 billion, has offset a portion of its cost by setting aside some funding from the leasing of the northern Indiana Toll Road.

Last year, lawmakers in both states approved creating a bi-state authority to review and select funding options.

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Transportation industry Kentucky
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