Leaders Break Ground on Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project

After years of planning and federal funding efforts, leaders officially broke ground Friday on the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project connecting Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, transportation officials, and regional leaders gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony marking a major milestone for the project. The event was held at Duke Energy’s West End Substation, which will serve as the starting point of the corridor project.

Opening the ceremony, Kentucky Chamber Executive Committee member and Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky President Amy Spiller emphasized the significance of the project to both the regional and national transportation network.

“This is one of the most critical transportation projects we have. This corridor connects not just the region, but the nation. This transformational effort will improve safety, reliability, and the movement of people and commerce for decades to come,” Spiller said.

The Brent Spence Bridge opened in 1963 and was originally designed to carry roughly 80,000 vehicles per day. Today, approximately 160,000 vehicles travel the corridor daily, including approximately $1 billion in freight traffic through the I-71 and I-75 corridor.

Momentum around the project accelerated in 2022, when Beshear and DeWine announced plans to move forward with the companion bridge project and later submitted a federal application seeking support under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Later that year, Kentucky and Ohio leaders announced the project had secured more than $1.6 billion in federal grant funding.

The broader corridor project includes construction of a new companion bridge, improvements to the existing Brent Spence Bridge, and upgrades throughout the surrounding interstate corridor in Kentucky and Ohio. Officials have said the project is intended to improve safety and increase highway capacity throughout the corridor.

Throughout Friday’s ceremony, officials discussed the project’s expected impact on freight movement, infrastructure, and regional connectivity. Current estimates place the project cost between $3.6 and $4 billion, though officials have acknowledged costs could continue to adjust as construction moves forward.

To learn more about the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, visit https://brentspencebridgecorridor.com/.