Brent Spence Bridge corridor project moves forward

After about 20 years in the making, Kentucky and Ohio continue to make progress on the Brent Spence Bridge corridor improvement project.

The Ohio Department of Transportation is requesting proposals from consultants to “support contract administration, public outreach, project management, and control tasks necessary to manage the eventual design-build project,” according to a news release.

ODOT and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s joint announcement is another leap forward for improvements to the corridor. In 2004, Kentucky and Ohio governors and transportation leaders signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the replacement of the bridge.

Since then, both states have conducted numerous studies looking into the possibilities. However, movement toward the finish line has been sluggish.

A preferred alternative for a new companion bridge along the Brent Spence Bridge corridor was approved in 2012. However, neither state could get the ball rolling on the project.

2020 Brent Spence Bridge crash spurs action

In November 2020, the Brent Spence Bridge was shut down for six weeks after a crash involving two trucks caused a fire.

The crash occurred at 2:45 a.m. on Nov. 11, 2020, after a truck jackknifed while traveling north on the Brent Spence Bridge. A truck hauling potassium hydroxide crashed into the jackknifed truck. Hundreds of gallons of spilled diesel caught on fire on the bridge. No one was killed in the crash.

The weekslong closure emphasized the need for a companion bridge that has been a talking point for years. It was enough to finally get the ball rolling for the Brent Spence Bridge corridor project.

According to a news release, the corridor project includes improvements to approximately eight miles of highway and the addition of a companion bridge on the west side of the existing bridge. Both states claim the additional capacity will alleviate congestion and improve safety.

Transportation officials say the bridge is part of a nationally significant freight corridor, which carries an estimated 3% of the nation’s gross domestic product annually.

For more information, visit BrentSpenceBridgeCorridor.com. LL