Tear-down signals the start of construction for Ohio River Bridges Project

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Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear addresses the media at a press conference Monday morning announcing that demolition has begun on some downtown Louisville buildings to make way for the Ohio River Bridges Project. Staff photo by Braden Lammers
Construction crews begin tearing down the eastern portion of the Vermont American Corp. complex along Main Street in downtown Louisville. The work will make way for a new portion of Interstate 65 as part of the Ohio River Bridges Project. Staff photo by Braden Lammers

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July 23, 2012

Tear-down signals the start of construction for Ohio River Bridges Project

By BRADEN LAMMERS braden.lammers@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Mon Jul 23, 2012, 04:00 PM EDT

LOUISVILLE — The crash of heavy equipment through the wall of a vacant building Monday morning sent bricks tumbling to the ground and signaled the first visual step for Kentucky in constructing its portion of the Ohio River Bridges Project.

Kentucky and Indiana transportation officials and a host of Kentucky legislators gathered at the corner of Main and Jackson streets in downtown Louisville to announce the start of clearing the path for a new Interstate 65 bridge to be constructed over the Ohio River.

“Today we take a very visible and tangible step that makes clear to both beleaguered commuters and eager business officials that the downtown crossing is going to happen,” said Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear at a press conference. “We begin literally clearing the path for construction to begin early next year on a new bridge and a modernized interchange in downtown Louisville.”

Kentucky is responsible for building a new I-65 bridge and reconstructing Spaghetti Junction as part of its agreement with Indiana to complete the $2.6 billion Ohio River Bridges Project. Indiana is responsible for constructing the $1.3 billion east-end portion of the project, which includes an Interstate 265 bridge connecting Utica to Prospect, Ky., and the approaches on both sides of the river.

To clear the way for the path of the new I-65 bridge — which when completed will be a northbound bridge and the Kennedy Bridge will be converted to southbound-only traffic — construction crews began demolishing part of Vermont American Corp. complex across from Louisville Slugger Field. The eastern portion of the Vermont American Corp. complex, which has been vacant for about 25 years, is being taken down, but the oldest buildings on the west side of the complex will be preserved for redevelopment, Beshear said.

According to a press release, the area of redevelopment is about 1.5 acres and demolition is expected to take about a month. Officials would not comment on who the proposed developer of the site may be as they are still in negotiations.

The cost of demolition is being paid for by Kentucky and is part of the state’s overall cost for the bridges project, said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Spokesman Chuck Wolfe. However, he added the previous owner Robert Bosch Tool Corp. will pay for environmental cleanup of heavy metals on the site.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said the work that has begun and the work that is planned means jobs for the region.

“This site, in fact the whole bridges project, is about economic redevelopment,” Beshear said. “We have moved this bridges project out of the discussion phase and into the action phase.”

As part of the effort moving forward on the project, both states have their procurement set to occur within the next two weeks. Indiana’s procurement is on schedule for July 31 and Kentucky’s procurement is on schedule for Aug. 1.

Still to be worked out is a development agreement between the two states.

“The development agreement is coming along very well,” said Steve Schultz, special adviser to Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels on the Ohio River Bridges Project. “[We’re] hoping to have the major provisions of that ironed out fairly soon.”

He estimated that an agreement would be in place between the states by the time they finalize their respective procurement agreements and before bids are accepted on their portions of the project. A development agreement will lay out how the states plan to maintain the bridges and roadways in the future and how tolling revenues will be collected and shared.

While Kentucky has taken its steps to clear the path for its portion of the bridges project, Indiana is expected to break ground on its part in August. The Indiana Department of Transportation announced plans to construct a $5.5 million road extension of Old Salem Road that will ultimately connect the River Ridge Commerce Center to the future Interstate 265 and east-end bridge.

Jim Stark, INDOT Deputy Commissioner of Capital Program Management, said while a contract has not officially been awarded to the low bidder — Clarksville-based Gohmann Construction Inc. at a price of $3.19 million — the state is still on pace for a planned Aug. 30 groundbreaking date.

While the connector road is considered part of the bridge’s project it is being paid for out of the state’s capital program, he said.