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.