Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine have unveiled the design of a new cable-stayed companion bridge over the Ohio River as part of the long-anticipated Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project.
The $3.6 billion project will add a new, toll-free structure west of the existing Brent Spence Bridge to reduce congestion along the critical 8-mile stretch of Interstates 71 and 75 between Cincinnati and northern Kentucky.
The double-deck bridge will feature separate decks supported by a cabling system similar to Louisville’s Abraham Lincoln Bridge and the Veterans Glass City Skyway in Toledo.
Unlike traditional double-deck bridges, no steel framework will connect the two decks, offering a streamlined, modern design.
“This new companion bridge will be a game-changer for commuting families and a crucial economic corridor,” Beshear said in a statement. “We’re getting it done without tolls, by working together.”
Federal environmental approval for the project was granted in May 2024, allowing it to move into final design and construction phases. Early site work is expected to begin in 2025, though officials have not released a new completion timeline.
The existing Brent Spence Bridge, declared functionally obsolete in the 1990s, carries more than twice its intended daily traffic. The new bridge is expected to ease congestion and improve safety for one of the nation’s busiest freight corridors.
Source: WDRB.com, WHASnews.com
