Officials break ground on Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project

追加: 2026-05-09

[00:00:00]Wow, this is this is a great day for Ohio, great day for Kentucky, and a great day for for for this country. Now at 6:00, shovels hit the dirt, finally beginning a project to fix the Brent Spence Bridge traffic, a day many thought would never come.

[00:00:15]>> It bridged the divide of political parties. And if there's one thing we can surely agree on, it's the importance of transportation. We're exploring the long-overdue upgrade set to be made and the timeline. Now let's build this bridge.

[00:00:29]It is one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in the entire nation. It is the Brent Spence Bridge, and we're just two interstates, and it's way over capacity.

[00:00:37]>> So today, the groundbreaking decades in the making. We know crews will build a companion bridge. It'll pave the way for a smoother drive, hopefully, and faster truck shipments.

[00:00:46]>> WCPO 9 News reporter Connor Steffen joins us live from where this approach will be constructed on the Ohio side of the river. Connor.

[00:00:57]Well, yeah, Tonya, Adrian, right here where we're standing, you're looking at the future foot of this new companion bridge. If you look over my shoulder, you can see some material construction equipment already set up. And then if you look to my right, which will be your left on the screen, just above me is the iconic Brent Spence Bridge. Obviously, freight still going over it at this hour. And then just below it, this right here is the view that will meet drivers once this bridge is built.

[00:01:25]In the shadows of the Brent Spence Bridge. Well, this is the day we've been waiting for, right?

[00:01:30]>> Leaders put shovels into the dirt.

[00:01:33]Marking a day many never thought would come.

[00:01:35]>> One we've been dreaming about for decades, and that many said would never happen.

[00:01:40]>> You're looking at what will be the future foot of a two-tiered cable-stayed independent deck bridge carrying five lanes of interstate traffic in both directions. This bridge is functional and it's going to be beautiful. It will help alleviate what's become one of the worst bottlenecks in the country on a 60-plus-year-old crucial supply chain connector.

[00:02:00]>> The Brent Spence Bridge carries far more traffic than it was ever designed to handle.

[00:02:05]>> Crews will soon begin construction that will last until around 2031. The phase of work comes with a $4.05 billion price tag and also includes work on two approaches and a re-striping of the Brent Spence.

[00:02:17]>> We're showing that when it comes to the things that matter most to the American people, the solutions aren't partisan.

[00:02:23]They're not even bipartisan. They are non-partisan.

[00:02:26]>> Funding comes from local and state taxpayer dollars and a whopping sum from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

[00:02:33]>> Not only did it get this bridge built without tolls, I might add, it provided enormous transportation relief for Kentucky legislature. We still don't have an exact construction start date, but drivers can expect long-term closures to pop up by the end of May across three interstate ramps. Anything that's going to turn out good, there's going to be a little pain. We recognize that.

[00:02:59]>> It'll be a few frustrating years, but once that's all done, it'll be better for everybody. Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar co-owner Jeff Brand says staff just held a meeting to discuss construction impacts.

[00:03:10]>> I'm going to deal with it as it comes, but I mean, we've gotten through things like this before and we'll get through them again.

[00:03:19]So, Governor Mike DeWine was asked and said no, there is not a name yet for this new companion bridge. Uh beyond this phase, there's also going to be a full rehabilitation of the Brent Spence Bridge. For now, we're live at the foot of the new companion bridge, Connor Steffen, WCPO 9 News. Okay.