Ohio River Bridges Project

Spurred by safety, economics...1SI’s stance on bridges reflects harsh realities

The Kennedy Bridge was designed to accommodate 80,000 vehicles a day. Today it is carrying 120,000 to 130,000, accelerating the aging process as the structure nears the final third of its estimated life.

Such harsh realities, the gap between available money and cost, and hearsay have fueled misunderstandings and angst among citizens about the Ohio River Bridges Project, which has spanned decades of public discussion and proposals. The critical need now, two generations later, is for all citizens to be well informed about its facts, urgency, and benefits, according to the board of directors of One Southern Indiana.

This morning the chamber of commerce and economic development entity serving Clark and Floyd counties approved the recommendation of its Advocacy Council articulating 1SI’s stance on the project. The new statement reflects changes in the bridges project itself since 1SI last released its position in December of 2009.

“One Southern Indiana supports the entire Ohio River Bridges Project,” said Matt Hall, vice president of economic development and interim CEO, defining it as the construction of two bridges and the modernization of the I-64, I-65, and I-71 interchanges.

“It is imperative that our citizens understand the facts behind this support,” he said. “Like it or not, we have no choice but to build the bridges now for safety reasons and to advance the quality of life and economy here.” The new bridges will encourage investment, create and sustain jobs, and enhance mobility in the region, he said.

POINTS OF SUPPORT
Specifically, 1SI supports:
--The combined effort of the Bridges Authority, the State of Indiana, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky to begin construction in 2012.
--Innovative financing, construction, and operational solutions to reduce the total project cost.
--No increase in taxes, but fair tolls/user fees and variable pricing for frequent users. Governors of both states and Louisville’s mayor have asked that any financing plan exempt the Clark Memorial (Second St.) Bridge and the Sherman Minton (I-64) Bridge from tolls. That is a major clarification, Hall said, because most people have assumed they would pay tolls on all bridges.

1SI has worked closely with the Bridges Coalition, a group of 15 business professionals and civic leaders on both sides of the river, to digest public ideas while facing realities about the urgent need for the project itself.
In addition to Hall and Tonya Fischer, 1SI’s vice president of investor and government relations, Southern Indiana members of the Bridges Coalition are Chris Coyle of McCauley Nicolas, Bob Lanum of Stites & Harbison and the Ogle Foundation, and Dale Orem of Your Community Bank.

FACT VS. MYTH
1SI Board Chair Vaughan Scott, also a financial advisor serving small businesses and individuals throughout the region, pointed out that the federal gasoline tax cannot take care of all highway needs, because it is not indexed for inflation. It is the primary source of revenue for federal transportation projects, but since 1993, it has remained at 18.4 cents a gallon, while construction and maintenance costs have continued to escalate.

Toll booths are a thing of the past, Scott noted, such as those for the Second Street Bridge from its opening in 1929 to 1946 when bonds used for its construction were paid off. Today’s electronic, open-road tolling prevents bottlenecks and does not require traffic to slow down. It also is able to offer special rates for frequent users, senior citizens, students who commute, residents in low-income areas, and other special cases.

Scott has compiled a list of facts dispelling common myths about the Ohio River Bridges Project, and can be downloaded by clicking here.

Public bridge meetings set after feds approved modified Bridges plan