- Ohio River Bridges Downtown Crossing Named 2017 National Project of The Year by the American Society of Highway Engineers
- Federal Highway Administration 2017 Environmental Excellence Award
- International Road Federation Global Achievement Award for Project Finance & Economics
- 2009 IRF Global Achievement Award for Program Management
- International Right-of-Way Association (IRWA) Project of the Year
- The East End Crossing project earned the Envision Platinum award from the Institute of Sustainable Infrastructure
- Downtown Crossing (Lincoln Bridge) named 2016 winner of the Quality of Life and Community Development — Large Category by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
Client
INDOT & KYTC
Timeline
September 1998-April 2017
Environmental benefits
The ORBP is projected to decrease emission of pollutants by 47% through reduced traffic congestion within the greater Louisville Region
Awards.
Improved economy, safety, & mobility.
$3.2 billion
expected annual travel time savings
15,556 average annual new jobs
annual expected job creation in the course of 30 years.
$86.7 billion
total business output impact over 30-year projections for the five-county Louisville metropolitan region
$29.5 billion
personal income expected to be generated over 30 years
12 additional lanes
crossing the Ohio River providing enhanced connectivity between Kentucky and Indiana
The challenge.
The ORBP project was more than just 2 bridges crossing the Ohio River; it was a whole reworking of the downtown Louisville interchange system locally known as spaghetti junction and connecting the I-265 interstate bypass on the east end.
The Ohio River Bridges project was a joint effort between KYTC and INDOT, consisting of two new bridge constructions spanning the Ohio River, the reconstruction of 113 lane miles of roadway, and three new interchanges.
Following a study conducted in the area, it was determined that a new crossing was needed to improve mobility and safety conditions for residents. The project scale, which included the coordination of over 100 consultants and two State DOTs, presented complex challenges.
Disruption to surrounding communities was inevitable, and an emphasis was placed on mitigating the impact on factors such as the environment, historic preservation, and residential stress. Five of the 115 relocations were historic homes and needed carefully designed solutions to protect the integrity of the sites.
Beam, Longest and Neff (BLN), the Canadian subsidiary of McIntosh Perry (Egis Group) led the teams that developed the proposed routes, interchange configurations, preliminary design, and prepared the environmental impact statement. BLN was also part of the team that performed design reviews and served as the General Engineering Consultant (GEC) for the project.
The need for schedule acceleration was another challenge we faced with KYTC and INDOT. BLN’s extensive experience and knowledge of Right-Of-Way acquisition made our firm a valuable part of the team that tackled these challenges.
Imagine.
Addressing public input to create an improved mobility solution
Minimized acquisitions
BLN understood the need to deliver a solution that focused on each of the identified challenges while completing right-of-way management. Our team carefully considered public input during the decision-making process and focused on minimizing the number of acquisitions in order to reduce costs and stress to residents.
Communication & Coordination
Knowing that coordination between the two DOTs and each consultant would be pivotal to success, multiple communication channels were maintained throughout the duration of the project. A regional advisory committee was formed, consisting of key representatives of government, civic, and community groups. BLN established and maintained active lines of communication with project representatives from both departments, ensuring that they were informed and consulted on every decision made.
Respect for history
Historic preservation advisory teams were formed with the goal of ensuring a design that respected historic qualities, landscapes, buildings, and features within the area of potential impact. Throughout the project, regular public meetings and hearings were conducted, allowing residents to stay informed and give feedback. Additionally, a newsletter was issued to keep residents up-to-date on the progress of the project and upcoming events.
Create.
Applying Value Engineering Principles for an optimal solution
The Lewis and Clark Bridge (East End Crossing) Project is a public-private partnership (P3) and included a 2,500-foot bridge over the Ohio River, eight miles upstream from downtown Louisville, the extension of the Snyder Freeway (841/265) in Kentucky to the new bridge, including a 1,700-foot tunnel under the Drumanard Estate in Prospect, and the construction of a four-mile new-terrain highway in Indiana, extending the Lee Hamilton Highway (62/256) to the new bridge.
A 13-foot-wide pedestrian/bicycle path was included on the downstream side of the bridge and along the project. The Downtown Crossing Project included the construction of a new 2,114- foot I-65 bridge with six northbound lanes, the reconfiguration of Spaghetti Junction (I-64, I-65 and I-71) in Kentucky, Indiana roadways and bridge approaches, and the rehabilitation of the Kennedy Bridge (I-65) with six southbound lanes. The downtown portion alone had over 40 new bridges and retaining walls, and over 700,000 cubic yards of earthwork.
BLN was an integral part of the team that provided management services, plan review, preparation of the environmental document, and development/evaluation of preliminary alternatives and the preliminary design plan. BLN was a leading participant in developing the Environmental Impact Statement and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Downtown Crossing (Sections 1, 2, 3) and East End Crossing (Sections 3, 4, 5) project phases. BLN staff further oversaw waterway permitting and environmental commitments compliance tracking for both bridge crossings.
Achieve.
Delivering connectivity and safety while controlling schedule and cost
BLN was part of the team that performed the design review and oversight/monitoring of the ORB (East End Crossing) portion and design review for the Downtown Crossing. Our team reviewed plans for adherence to design standards, project design requirements and provided project controls.
Through value engineering, our team reduced preliminary construction cost estimates from $4.1 billion to $2.6 billion. Additionally, we worked in conjunction with KYTC, INDOT, and the Indiana Finance Authority to use non-traditional delivery methods, which resulted in accepted bids of $2.1 billion for the total ORB. The Downtown Crossing used Design-Build methods, and the East End Crossing used P3 procurement.
The team also provided environmental oversight and adherence to the NEPA documents, as well as land acquisition and construction services. As a part of Community Transportation Solutions Inc., the team completed the $22.2 million Environmental Impact Statement, the first phase of the project, and developed preliminary designs.
Outcomes achieved through Value Engineering included:
- Right-of-way engineering completed in 14 months (60 days ahead of schedule)
- Detours to local commuters and freight minimized
- Reduced construction cost from $4.1 billion to $2.6 billion
- Development of P3 procurement documentation in 7 months
- Reduced project schedule by more than 30%