Groundbreaking dates, construction: What's next for for Brent Spence Bridge project

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect new information from the Ohio Department of Transportation about the date of the planned groundbreaking.

Likely items on the 2023 punch list for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor team:

• Get Joe Biden to town to crow about federal support.

• Hire primary contractors to launch the project.

• Get a shovel in the ground.

With Nos. 1 and 2 complete – the president visited in January and contractors came on in July – officials are now moving toward an "early 2024" groundbreaking, a change from an earlier November target. “Substantial construction” will soon follow.

As they firm up the calendar for $3.6 billion worth of construction, here’s what’s next for what will be the “largest project … ever built” by Ohio and Kentucky transportation departments, in the words of Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) spokesman Matt Bruning.

First on the list: Open houses for the public this Wednesday and Thursday.

What will be built when?

Bridge work will come first. That’s what will begin “later in 2024 or early 2025" and continue to 2030, Bruning said.

That phase of work will include reconfiguration of the existing Brent Spence Bridge, reducing both decks from four to three lanes for local traffic. It will also include construction of a new yet-to-be named companion bridge to the immediate west to carry Interstate 71 and Interstate 75 traffic.

Phase two of construction will run from Linn Street to Findlay Street, starting in 2026 and ending in 2029.

The final phase will include work from Findlay to just past the Western Hills Viaduct. That will happen between 2029 and 2032.

Given the complexity of the work, “timelines may shift slightly from time to time,” Bruning said. “However, we will continue to work with all parties to keep the project on target.”

What’s the order of the bridge work?

The companion bridge will be built before the upgrades on the existing bridge, according to Walsh Kokosing Design-Build Team, the firm selected in July to lead the project. That will allow the new bridge to absorb traffic from the existing bridge when that work is under way.

Vehicles will be able to use one or the other bridge throughout the project, Bruning confirmed.

But interruptions are possible. “Traffic impacts, road closures and delays are expected to maintain a safe work zone,” the project website says.

Walsh Kokosing, by the way, is the primary contractor for just the first phase of work, with a $3.1 billion contract.

Work on the final two miles will happen under separate contracts, worth a combined $500 million. Contractors can bid for the second phase of work beginning in February 2026 and the third leg beginning in October 2028.

What does the project include besides bridge work?

In all, eight miles of I-71 and I-75 will see construction during the project. When complete, the interstates will be wider; on- and-off-ramps will be reconfigured; and streets over the interstates will be safer for pedestrians and bikes. Additionally, Ohio and Kentucky officials say they will fix flooding and sewer overflow issues in communities along the path.

In Cincinnati, I-75 will get a northbound exit at Ezzard Charles Drive, providing more access to West End, Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati Museum Center and TQL Stadium. I-75 will also include a new interchange onto the Western Hills Viaduct.

Additionally, officials must win approval of an updated environmental assessment. They expect a response from the federal government on that by February.

What’s happening with Bridge Forward?

The Cincinnati grassroots group known as Bridge Forward continues to advocate for sinking I-75 and U.S. 50 as they pass by Downtown to allow for the city street grid to be extended into Queensgate.

That design would add $65 million to $80 million to the project cost, state officials have told Bridge Forward.

“It’s a chip shot to get to that,” former Cincinnati mayor and Bridge Forward supporter John Cranley said. “It really makes Queensgate a potential neighborhood.”

Bruning confirmed the $65-to-$80 million estimate as “very preliminary,” adding that Ohio and Kentucky are not looking to add costs to the project. “We cannot answer where those additional funds would come from,” he said.

Bridge Forward leaders are investigating possible funding sources, founder Brian Boland said.

“We are confident that the local support is there if ODOT will allow the local leaders to have the final say,” he said.

The group is currently seeking support from members of the Ohio Statehouse Cincinnati delegation, having won endorsement from Cincinnati City Council and Hamilton County Commission this spring.

Said Rep. Bill Seitz, a Republican from Green Township: “I am for getting this project completed without one minute’s further delay and otherwise am ambivalent about the suggested changes.”

How can the public learn more or weigh in?

Members of the public can see exhibits, offer comment and talk with transportation officials at this week's open houses.

• Wednesday, 4-7 p.m., at the Radisson Hotel, 668 W. Fifth St., Covington.

• Thursday, 4-7 p.m., at Longworth Hall, 700 W. Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati.

A public hearing is expected in December, with details to come.

Comments and questions can also be submitted online, where answers to earlier questions are posted.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What's next for Brent Spence Bridge project?