EVANSVILLE, IN — Governor Eric J. Holcomb and Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Commissioner Mike Smith recently broke ground on the Ohio River Crossing project in Evansville, Indiana. ORX Constructors, a joint venture between Walsh Construction and Traylor Bros, Inc., was also in attendance. INDOT is overseeing this $202 million project, which is fully funded and is estimated to be complete in 2026.
“This is another day to remember for all Hoosiers,” Holcomb said at the event. “Today signifies a key milestone toward completing the most direct, safe, and efficient connection between Evansville and Henderson, [Kentucky]. This additional crossing will open the door to limitless new opportunities for transportation, economic, and community development projects. I’m both grateful and proud to stand here today with so many local leaders who have worked for decades to convert ideas into blueprints, and blueprints into new connections. Indiana continues to pave a road to a brighter future due to our collaborative Hoosier work ethic.”
I-69 ORX Section 3 focuses on the approach roadways and bridges that will provide all-weather construction access to the river to build the future I-69 river crossing. The roads and bridges that are part of Section 3 will be used by construction crews to build the new crossing, and drivers will use the roadways and bridges once the new I-69 bridge is complete.
“We know how important this future I-69 bridge is to Evansville and the surrounding region,” Smith said. “Indiana has led the way in investing in I-69. ... We [recently] made the vital connection between Evansville and Indianapolis a reality and crossed the I-69 Finish Line, making it even more fitting that we’re here today, taking the first steps toward completing another key connection.”
I-69 ORX is divided into three sections for construction. I-69 ORX Section 2 is a bi-state project between Indiana and Kentucky that will complete the I-69 connection from U.S. 60 in Henderson to I-69 in Evansville. It includes the new four-lane river crossing. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2027 and be complete by 2031. Preconstruction activities will begin in 2025. Both states continue to look for opportunities to accelerate the timeline.
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I-69 ORX Section 1 focuses on improvements in Henderson and is led by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. ORX Section 1 extends from KY 425 to U.S. 60. It includes a more than 6-mile extension of I-69, new interchanges with U.S. 41 and U.S. 60, and a reconstructed KY 351 interchange. Construction began in summer 2022 and will be complete by the end of 2025.
