For Immediate Release
November 13, 2003
Contact:   Chris Kellogg (502) 564-2611 or
                Kay Stewart  (502) 253-9221 

Patton, Kernan Name Joint Panel to Oversee Minority Role in
 Ohio River Bridges Project 

            Frankfort, Ky.-Kentucky Gov. Paul E. Patton and Indiana Governor Joe Kernan today appointed a two-state committee to enhance minority participation on the Louisville Southern-Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project. 

"The Bridges Project is one of the nation's largest transportation projects, and presents exciting opportunities to engage minority, women-owned and small business.   This commitment to their participation will have lasting benefits for the Louisville and Southern Indiana economy," Patton said. 

Kernan said he shares earlier commitments made by former Governor Frank O'Bannon to Kentucky officials and praised the states' cooperative effort to engage minority, women-owned and small businesses in work on the Bridges Project.  "We are committed to providing equal opportunities for minority, women-owned and small businesses to help this important public project, and to provide lasting benefits for our state economies," Kernan said. 

Patton has named these individuals to represent Kentucky: Leonard Gray, Gov. Patton's Director of Minority Affairs; James C. Codell, III, secretary, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet; State Senator Gerald Neal of Louisville; and State Representative Paul Bather of Louisville. 

From Indiana, Kernan has named: Floyd Worley, a member of Gov. Kernan's staff; Vaneeta Kumar, deputy commissioner, Office of Planning and Multi-Model Transportation, Indiana Department of Transportation; State Representative William Crawford of Indianapolis; and Susan Williams, executive director, Indiana State Office Building Commission. 

Jose Sepulveda, division administrator for the Federal Highway Administration's (FWHA) Kentucky office and Eugene Cleckley, a recently retired administrator at the FHWA Southern Resource Center, serve as ex-officio members. 

The effort by Kentucky and Indiana is to focus on opportunities for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), which are businesses certified by either the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) or the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) in accordance with the requirements of federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program regulations.  The project will have a separate program for DBE involvement and will include DBE participation goals for the construction contracts. 

The states also plan to go "above and beyond" a DBE program, Secretary Codell said. He said efforts will be made to engage minority and women-owned businesses and small businesses that are not certified as DBEs. A detailed plan addressing ways to enhance opportunities for DBEs, minority, women-owned and small businesses and to monitor participation is being developed, Codell added. 

"Based on the variety of skills and types of work needed for the Bridges Project, and the duration of construction, we need to plan now to build skills and capacity to enhance opportunities for DBE, minority, women-owned and small businesses," said Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner J. Bryan Nicol. 

The Bridges Project

The Bridges Project includes two new bridges - one immediately upstream of the Kennedy Bridge (I-65), linking downtown Louisville to Jeffersonville, Ind.,  and the other about eight miles upstream linking the Gene Snyder Freeway in Eastern Jefferson County to the Lee Hamilton Highway (I-265) in Southern Indiana.  The project also includes a rebuild of the Kennedy Interchange (Spaghetti Junction) just south of the Kennedy Bridge where I-65, I-64 and I-71 converge. 

The entire project is estimated to cost $1.9 billion. 

The FHWA issued a final decision in September on what to build, and the states in July began procuring a general engineering consultant to oversee the project.  Both states hope to select all design consultants by summer 2004 provided federal funds are available.  Construction is expected to begin in 2007. 

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www.kyinbridges.com

 

PROJECT OVERVIEW

 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) - Published in November 2001, the DEIS analyzed nine specific bridge locations in one and two-bridge combinations. Public hearings were conducted in Indiana and Kentucky, and more than 5,000 comments were received on the DEIS. 

Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) - Issued in April 2003, this document identified the preferred alternative, responded to comments on the DEIS, and included a plan to minimize impacts to historic properties and other resources. 

Record of Decision (ROD) - In Sept. 2003, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a (ROD) officially approving the construction of two new Ohio River bridges linking Louisville and Southern Indiana.  The decision includes the rebuilding of the Kennedy Interchange (Spaghetti Junction) where I-65, I-64 and I-71 converge. 

Recent Developments
General Engineering Consultant (GEC) - In July 2003, The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) selected a GEC to oversee the design and preconstruction phase. Community Transportation Solutions (CTS-GEC) was selected. 

The ESTIMATED Schedule*
Design Phase:

Right of Way - Acquisition is expected to begin in 2005 and to be completed in 2008. 

Utility Relocation - Utility relocation is expected to begin in 2006 and to be completed within five to seven years. 

Construction - Work is to begin in 2007 and to be completed in 2017. 

*Estimated dates are based on funding being available.