Commission would oversee Ohio River Bridges

Legislation that passed the Indiana House of Representatives yesterday would create a commission to coordinate construction of the Ohio River Bridges currently planned and other bridge projects over the Ohio River. The bill passed the House by 92-0 and now goes to the Indiana Senate, the Louisville, Ky., Courier-Journal reported.

“This bill is really about economic development,” the bill’s author, Rep. Steve Stemler (D-Jeffersonville), told the Courier-Journal .

Two bridges between Clark County, Ind., and Louisville, Ky., are currently planned. They are expected to cost Kentucky $2.9 billion and Indiana about $1.1 billion. The total project also includes a redesigned Spaghetti Junction interchange in Louisville.

Under the House bill, the Ohio River Bridges Projects Commission would have 14 members, including transportation officials, lawmakers, the governor and a congressional representative from Indiana, with the expectation that a similar Kentucky commission will be created by the Kentucky General Assembly. The members would not be paid for their participation in the commission, except for travel and other expenses.

Revised 16-Feb-09