Transportation Secretary Jim Gray and Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet’s Brent Spence Bridge Project Manager Stacee Hans presented information on the bridge to the House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation on Thursday.
It’s the first time they have given the legislature an update since they approved $250 million in matching funds during the 2022 legislative session to apply for a federal grant for the project.
“We have a visible path to construction,” Gray said, noting the importance of the matching funds.
Since the legislature provided those matching funds, the project secured a $1.6 billion grant from the federal government via the 2021 Infrastructure bill. In January, President Joe Biden visited Covington to tout the funding.
“I truly believe that the local match that we were able to demonstrate in our grant applications was certainly the pivotal and turning point,” Hans said.
She noted that the transportation department requested the maximum amount for the grant criteria, which was $1.6 billion, and received $1.38 billion.
“We received over 98% of our ask,” Hans said. “If anyone in this room has ever written a grant to be able to receive 98% of your ask is an amazing accomplishment.”
The transportation department recently requested proposals from contractors to complete the project, and expect construction to start in November of 2023.
“That final version went out late last Friday with anticipation of an announcement of a design-build team in May of this year,” Hans said.
Hans’ presentation also showed potential designs for the bridge.
“We’re hoping to have public hearings for that Supplemental Environmental Assessment in the July and August time period, with it being finalized in October,” Hans said.
The project team has been studying ways to improve the design since 2012, Hans said, in addition to simplifying the construction, reducing costs, reducing impacts, and incorporating additional enhancements into the project. This led to a reduction of relocations on the Kentucky side of the river from over 40 to four.
The project consists of a new companion bridge immediately to the west of the existing Brent Spence bridge, Hans said. The new structure will also be a double-decker, which mirrors the existing bridge.
“However, unlike the existing Brent Spence bridge, northbound traffic will be on the top deck of the companion bridge, and the southbound traffic will be on the bottom deck,” Hans said.