Brent Spence Bridge Project Breaks Ground

The Midwest is getting a major new bridge, a $1.63 billion upgrade of the Brent Spence Bridge connecting Covington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio (WDRB).

The details: The project will involve the construction of a new “cable-stayed companion bridge” alongside the existing bridge, as well as new approaches to both bridges.

• A priority for infrastructure advocates—including the NAM—this upgrade will alleviate congestion in a key corridor.
• “The Brent Spence Bridge carried 80,000 vehicles per day when it was built in 1963, but that number has since doubled to 160,000 per day, carrying $1 billion in freight daily.”

The timeline: The new bridge is set to open in 2031, while the construction of the approaches will be finished by 2033.

What they are saying: At the groundbreaking earlier this month, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said, “This is the day we’ve been waiting for. This bridge is functional, and it’s going to be beautiful. We’re going to be looking at this bridge for 50 to 100 years—I mean, I probably won’t be—but there’s going to be a lot of people looking at it for a long time” (Cincinnati Business Courier, subscription).

The NAM says: “The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project exemplifies what can be achieved with a bipartisan commitment to improving our nation’s infrastructure. America’s manufacturers are #BuildingToWin,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons.