Groundbreaking Marks Start of Long-Awaited Brent Spence Companion Bridge Project
Key Takeaways
- Officials from Ohio, Kentucky and the Federal Highway Administration are launching construction on the Brent Spence companion bridge project.
- The new cable-stayed bridge will separate through-traffic from local traffic to reduce congestion and improve safety along the heavily traveled corridor.
- The project cost increased to $4.39 billion, with completion of the companion bridge expected in 2031.
Officials are breaking ground today on the Brent Spence companion bridge between Cincinnati, Ohio and Kentucky.
Ceremonial shovels will dig in on both sides of the Ohio River, symbolizing the joint effort between the two states to bring the long-awaited project to fruition.
The project aims to address one of the nation’s worst traffic bottlenecks by constructing a companion bridge that will serve long-distance and through-traffic, while the existing Brent Spence Bridge will be converted to support local drivers — reducing congestion and improving travel times across the Ohio-Kentucky border.
Originally built to carry 80,000 vehicles daily, the Brent Spence Bridge — which carries interstates 71 and 75 — now handles more than 170,000 vehicles per day, a number expected to continue rising in the coming decades, Louisville Public Media reported.
At 1 p.m., Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Sen. Mitch McConnell and Federal Highway Administration Administrator Sean McMaster will headline the groundbreaking ceremony, alongside transportation officials from both states, according to Louisville Public Media.
Fox 19 News reported that detours and closures are scheduled to begin on or after May 20.
The groundbreaking follows approvals of the project’s increased costs in March, which rose from $3.6 billion to $4.39 billion. The cost will be shared equally between the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The companion bridge design was unveiled in June 2025 and is expected to be completed in 2031, with the approach work largely finished by 2033.
The new bridge — being built to the west of the existing structure — will be a cable-stayed independent deck bridge with two levels, according to Louisville Public Media. No steel work will connect the bridge’s two decks.
Northbound traffic will travel on the upper deck, giving drivers heading into Ohio a view of the Cincinnati skyline.
The existing Brent Spence Bridge will be restriped and reduced from four lanes to three lanes, while shoulders will be restored improve traffic safety and reduce weaving between lanes.
Sources: Louisville Public Media, Fox 19 News