Louisville, Ky. (WHAS11) - The leadership of the Ohio River Bridges Authority says the project's financing and federal approval are the last two major milestones before construction can begin.
At a meeting today, the authority revealed it is considering six different options to pay for the $2.9 billion project, including a public-private partnership.
The Ohio River Bridges Project includes construction of an east end bridge, downtown bridge and a reconfigured Spaghetti Junction.
"Building consensus over the next several weeks will ensure we are headed down the right path before we move to the next steps," said Authority Chairman Charles Buddeke.
It was the authority's first meeting since the emergency shutdown of the Sherman Minton Bridge. The closure has focused more attention than ever on the Ohio River Bridges Project, including more pressure from the community and renewed commitments from a parade of politicians.
"If they start next year toward the end of next year, you're looking at a five year time period or roughly around that," said said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer (D) when asked when the east end bridge would be completed, "It could be compressed quicker than that into a three or four year time period. But when you are putting out the Requests For Proposals right now all of that will come back with the construction timeline, the total cost, etc.. Clearly we want it as soon as possible and a structure that's safe."
Yet, the bridges authority process to build the new bridges is the same as if nothing ever happened.
"I think it's important to look at this as two separate issues," said Scott Stewart who heads major projects for the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), "When we had a chance to visit with the head of Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Administrator Mendez last week, he certainly looks at it that way."
Though the process isn't changing, will the Sherman Minton closure speed up the process?
"There won't be a piece of paper lay on a FHWA desk any longer than it absolutely has to," said Bridges Authority Vice-Chairman Kerry Stemler, "We can't circumvent federal law but we can make sure we don't waste any time."
Stemler said informal discussions with potential contractors and construction experts lead him to "believe this project can be built in a much shorter period of time than we have ever put out on the table before."
Stemler said a public-private partnership to build the bridges shows promise.
"I think it can reduce cost," Stemler said, "I think it can accelerate time. And I think we can use the innovative, creative minds that are out there in the industry."
In the coming weeks - the authority wants a consensus from the key partners in Kentucky and Indiana on how to finance and construct the $2.9 billion project.
In addition to a financing plan, also slated for completion by the end of 2011 is the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement to be filed with the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The statement was required after the authority decided earlier this year to scale down the Spaghetti Junction portion of the project.
Though the authority downsized its reconfiguration of Spaghetti Junction, it's not budging on its plan to dig a tunnel under an estate that is in the path of the east end bridge approach.
The Drumanard land is protected because of an historcial designation granted to its gardens.
"It is on the national historic registry, so let's take that out," Stemler said, "It's a decision that's made. I do believe it would cost significant time delay (to reconsider the tunnel). I do not believe the savings by not building the tunnel and do some other method, cut and cover, make bridges, build bridges and roads.. we would not have enough savings to justify the time delay nor do I think it is necessary. I think we've got a project to build and I'm ready to go."
Tolls are a part of all options the bridges authority is considering.
"Tolling will pay for a significant part of the project, but it will not pay for it all," Stemler said. "It is critical that both states will have an equity position. They will have to put money into the project to get it built. We cannot pay for the entire project. Tolling as we have said from the beginning, can fill a gap, but it can't pay for the entire project."
Meanwhile, Indiana will open bids for Sherman Minton repairs on October 18th.
Last week, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear said it would take a maximum of six months to repair the bridge, but the information provided to potential bidders discloses that the maximum window is nine months.
"I think we really don't know," Stewart said, "For contracting purposes, any contractor who runs longer than nine months, we would disqualify their proposal."
