Governors announce plans for Sherman-Minton Bridge repairs

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear said today the two states have agreed on a solution to repair the Sherman-Minton Bridge following three weeks of inspection, testing and analysis.


The bridge will remain closed for about six months whil repairs are made. Preliminary cost estimates are $20 million. Contractor bids, which will be opened in mid-October, will include incentives for early completion.

“We’ll do all we can to get the bridge opened as quickly as possible but there will be no shortcuts on safety. After considering multiple options, the experts agree the repair strategy that has been selected is the best option,” said Daniels, who ordered the bridge between New Albany and Louisville closed on September 9 following discovery of a serious crack in a steel tie.

“Our goal throughout this review process was to develop an aggressive plan to repair and reopen it as soon as it is safe to do so,” said Gov. Beshear. “I am grateful that Administrator Victor Mendez has personally pledged to expedite the necessary federal reviews of this project, and I am hopeful that with incentives and innovative management from the construction bidders that we will be able to reopen even sooner.”

To repair the bridge, new steel plating will be installed along both sides of the bridge tie that runs horizontally along the entire 1,600-foot structure. This will increase the bridge’s safety and reliability. The repairs will give the bridge at least 20 more years of useful life. During the additional bridge testing, other weld defects were found at numerous locations that confirmed closing the bridge was the appropriate decision for public safety.

Indiana, which has lead responsibility for maintenance of the bridge, will issue bid documents to contractors interested completing the bridge repair on Tuesday (Oct. 4). Bids will be awarded in mid-October. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) conducted a pre-bid meeting with contractors earlier this week. The two states share bridge costs equally.

An incentive of $100,000 per day will be offered for each day the winning contractor finishes work before the target completion date. The incentive is capped at $5 million or 50 days.

Louisville Bike to Work Day 2011 is Tomorrow

Louisville's Bike to Work Day Celebration is tomorrow. Three locations around town will be set up at 7 a.m. so commuters can meet up and ride with others.

The three locations to meet for a ride are:

•Seneca Park Meet & Ride at the basketball court parking lot just west of the tennis courts

•Iroquois Park Meet & Ride at the the Amphitheater parking lot

•Shawnee Park Meet & Ride at the Southwestern and Broadway entrance

In addition at noon, there will be a celebration at 4th Street Live! Meet up with other commuters, learn more about bicycle commuting, visit with vendors and celebrate the bicycle! One of the lucky bike to work day registrants will win a new Trek 7000 commuting bike, with packs and rack, no purchase necessary! There will also be Louisville's printed bike map and drawings for other prizes!


Bike to Work Day will be held rain or shine. Participants can ride back to the meet and rides from 4th Street Live! at 5:15 p.m.  The Meet & Ride locations feature parking if you are driving and will allow you to ride with other riders and ride captains from the Louisville Bicycle Club! Riders must have a helmet.

For more information or to register, go to http://www.louisvilleky.gov/BikeLouisville/biketoworkday2011.htm.

Lane Closure Monday on Interstate 65 on the John F. Kennedy Bridge

 The right lane of southbound Interstate 65 across the John F. Kennedy Bridge (mile points 136.7 and137.7) will be closed on Monday, September 12th from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Engineers from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) will be performing their joint annual inspection of the bridge which carries Interstate 65 across the Ohio River from Jeffersonville, IN to Louisville, KY.

In addition, the exit ramps from southbound I-65 to both eastbound and westbound I-64 will be closed from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. as part of this inspection process.

The lane closure is subject to change due to inclement weather and other unforeseen delays. Dial 511 or log on to 511.ky.gov for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. You can also get traffic information for the District 5 counties at www.facebook.com/KYTCDistrict5.

KIPDA Radio Program Available on Website

A 20-minute program featuring KIPDA and the Metropolitan Planning Organization that aired a month ago on Way-FM (93.9 FM) and Shine 105.9 FM is now available on the KIPDA website.

It can be found at http://www.kipda.org/Transportation/Public_Outreach.aspx.


The "Business Spotlight" is a free program and will address the MPO and the planning process. KIPDA staff participated in the pre-recorded interview.

The radio stations spotlight a different company, agency or organization every Sunday morning.