Governors Andy Beshear and Mike DeWine released a video Wednesday morning showing off the design plans for the Brent Spence Bridge’s planned companion bridge.
“The design selected is a state-of-the-art, double-decker bridge that prioritizes safety, efficiency, and cost as well as getting this project done as fast as possible for our people,” said Beshear in the video.
Both still images and 3D renderings were released, showing angles of the bridge from both the Kentucky and the Ohio sides.
In the video, DeWine points out that traffic headed north, into Ohio would be on the top level of the bridge, while southbound traffic flowing into Kentucky will be on the bottom deck.
“That’s going to give people, I think, a great view of the skyline of Cincinnati,” said DeWine in the video. “It’s gonna be, we believe, a really iconic bridge, people are going to be very happy with how it looks and the most important thing, obviously is functionality.”
The double-decker bridge also features a cable-stayed design, independent deck design. According to a press release, the bi-level bridge does not use a traditional steel truss for support; rather, both decks are supported by the cabling system similar to other bridges like the Abraham Lincoln Bridge in Louisville.
The press release says the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet decided on the design based on visual and aesthetic criteria, including how it fit the surroundings, the visual connection to the existing Brent Spence Bridge and the “potential to become a recognizable regional landmark.”
The design also underwent technical review and wind testing, the press release says.
“Ultimately, cost, constructability and schedule were the deciding factors in the selection of the bridge type,” reads the release. “Compared to the other options considered, this design is lower in cost and easier to build.”
It’s still unclear when work will begin on the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, which has still been in the design phases. Friday’s press release says now that the design for the companion bridge has been selected, “the project team will continue refining project and design details.”
In addition, the design-build team will continue to advance the project toward final engineering and construction phases, the press release says.
The Brent Spence Bridge project aims to update the existing bridge while building a new, additional bridge. When the project is completed, officials said the new companion bridge will bear interstate traffic for I-71/75 while the Brent Spence Bridge will predominantly shoulder local traffic.
In January 2023, President Joe Biden and other lawmakers visited Covington to celebrate the roughly $1.635 billion in funding the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project received from the Federal Infrastructure Law, signed by Biden in November 2021.
The total cost of the project was estimated to be around $3.6 billion as of last year.