Indiana and Kentucky are jointly applying for federal funding to carry their respective portions of Interstate 69 over the Ohio River.
Gov. Eric J. Holcomb and the Indiana Department of Transportation on Wednesday announced the bi-state effort between the two states to apply for $632.3 million in federal grant funding for the I-69 Ohio River Crossing project between Evansville and Henderson, Kentucky.
“Construction of this crossing will extend I-69 from border-to-border in the State of Indiana, providing another gateway to and from Kentucky and points beyond,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement on the funding request. “This project will have regional, national and international impacts related to connectivity, safety, and economic opportunity on the corridor.”
INDOT and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet submitted the application through the Multimodal Discretionary Grant Program, which is part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Both states propose $513.7 million from other funding sources if the grant is approved. The states have committed $265 million to complete environmental studies and construction of the Kentucky approach in Henderson, according to INDOT.
“INDOT is seeking out and acting on every opportunity to compete for discretionary grant funding that will supplement our current program,” INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith said in a statement. “We thank the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for their continued partnership as we move the project forward.”
The $1.4 billion project, known as I-69 ORX, is one of four infrastructure projects INDOT submitted for federal funding through the program.
The bridge in Evansville is one of the final checkboxes to cross off in the quest to finish I-69 in Indiana. Construction of the I-69 connection to I-465 on the southside of Indianapolis is expected to be substantially complete in 2024, with the project to be substantially complete through Johnson County at the end of this year.
