Brent Spence Bridge and I-71/I-75 Corridor Study

For more than two decades, the northern Kentucky community served by the Interstate 71/Interstate 75 (I-71/I-75) corridor has faced increasing traffic demands on aging infrastructure. Built in 1963, the Brent Spence Bridge serves as a gateway between Ohio and Kentucky for freight vehicles and local travelers. Now with over 170,000 vehicles making the crossing per day, this structure was carrying double its original intended load. To help address this issue, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) engaged our team to investigate if a bypass would be cost-effective and improve traffic enough to avoid building a new bridge.

Gathering up-to-date traffic and traveler data, we analyzed bypass options, future traffic needs, and short-term solutions. We also provided a thorough public involvement program and engaged proponents of the bypass in the study. We shared transparent data to help the community and KYTC move forward with the right solution. This included cost estimates for bypass concepts that revealed it was neither feasible nor affordable. That answer cleared the way for KYTC to proceed with the planned new bridge project.

The Brent Spence Bridge will remain in service alongside the planned new bridge to carry local travelers. In the meantime, KYTC has adopted a concept from the study that will provide a short-term improvement for traffic in the existing corridor.