CINCINNATI, OH — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear joined state, local, and federal officials to celebrate the official launch of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the nation.
"After decades of planning and preparation, we are finally breaking ground on a solution to the traffic headaches and interstate commerce delays caused by the overcrowded Brent Spence Bridge," DeWine said. "This new companion bridge will make our roads safer and our economy stronger, while demonstrating what's possible when states and the federal government work together to solve our biggest challenges."
This phase of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project will build a new cable-stayed companion bridge to the existing Brent Spence Bridge, which crosses the Ohio River between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky, and is considered among the worst trucking bottlenecks in the United States. In addition to new approaches to the companion bridge, all connections to the existing bridge will be overhauled in each state. This includes more than 30 overpasses and underpasses in Ohio and a dozen in Kentucky.
“We took a major step forward for Kentucky, Ohio, and America as we broke ground on the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project,” Beshear said. “This historic project will deliver safer travel for our families, create good-paying construction jobs, boost national commerce, and ease congestion for commuters. From securing federal and state funding to ensuring project plans are moving forward, my administration has worked hard to deliver on this promise. When we work together, great things can happen for the American people — something Kentucky and Ohio are proving daily.”
More than $1 billion in freight passes through the I-71/I-75 corridor daily. The existing Brent Spence Bridge, which has served the region since 1963, currently carries significantly more traffic than it was designed to handle.
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In 1985, to address rapidly growing traffic demand, the bridge was reconfigured to add a fourth lane in each direction by removing emergency shoulders and narrowing lanes, resulting in impacts to driver safety and significant congestion caused by vehicle breakdowns or traffic crashes.
“The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project represents one of the most significant transportation improvements in the country,” Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Director Pamela Boratyn said. “This critical economic artery for our states and nation will fix the paralysis that grips the region when accidents occur, stop the severe overcrowding, and save lives.”
In addition to the construction of the companion bridge, this $4.05 billion phase of the project includes improvements to the existing Brent Spence Bridge for local traffic such as the restoration of the emergency shoulders, redesigned ramp configurations, and new pedestrian and bike paths to strengthen community connectivity.
“We’re committed to being good neighbors as we deliver a transformational project that will improve not just how people travel, but their overall quality of life,” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Secretary Rebecca Goodman said. “From more reliable roads to better drainage and new options for walking and biking, this project is about making everyday life a little easier for the communities we serve.”
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The project is partially funded by two federal grants totaling $1.63 billion, among the largest transportation grants in U.S. history.
“The Brent Spence Bridge is the type of project that aligns with USDOT’s Freedom to Drive Initiative focused on alleviating congestion chokepoints and bottlenecks,” Federal Highway Administration Administrator Sean McMaster said. “By modernizing this vital corridor, we are ensuring that freight travel is faster and more reliable, reducing costs for businesses and giving families back the time they currently lose to gridlock. We are proud to partner with Ohio and Kentucky to deliver a transportation system that supports American ingenuity and keeps our country moving.”
“The Brent Spence Bridge was one of the most significant projects in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It’s proof of what bipartisan legislative work can do,” Senator Mitch McConnell said. “Thanks to several of my colleagues in the U.S. Senate — including Senator Portman — as well as Governors DeWine and Beshear, and in the Kentucky General Assembly, Senate President Stivers and House Speaker Osborne, we were able to figure out a solution to fund the project. The cost would be shared between state and federal so that no one traveling through would have to pay a toll. I know our constituents are excited to see we can celebrate this accomplishment together and see this bridge construction get underway.”
The balance of the project’s funding is expected to be covered through KYTC and ODOT state revenues and/or through financing. Each state will cover the cost of its own highway work and share the cost of the companion bridge.
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The companion bridge is expected to open in 2031, with approach work substantially complete by 2033. Early construction activities this spring and summer include approach work for the companion bridge, utility relocations, and preparation for bridge foundation work in the Ohio River.
This phase is expected to generate approximately 6 million hours of work and employ more than 700 skilled tradespeople, with the workforce potentially reaching 1,000 at peak construction.
