By Emma Collins, Building Kentucky
Construction on Section 1 of the I-69 Ohio River Crossing (I-69 ORX) is scheduled to begin this summer following a groundbreaking in late June.
This marks the next significant step forward in the highly anticipated project that will culminate in a new bridge to complete the I-69 connection between Kentucky and Indiana, improving mobility and connectivity between the two states. It comes several months after the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet awarded a contract to the Ragle, Inc./Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. design-build team for the work on Section 1.
Although one project, work on I-69 ORX is divided into three sections.
ORX Section 1, for which preconstruction activities such as geotechnical drilling and tree clearing are already underway, focuses on improvements in Henderson and extends from KY 425 to US 60. Several interchanges along the more than six-mile stretch of roadway will also be improved as part of the project. Construction is expected to continue through 2025.
ORX Section 2 includes the construction of the new river crossing. Preconstruction activities are anticipated to begin in 2025, with construction starting in 2027. The bi-state project is expected to be completed in 2031, although both Kentucky and Indiana are looking for ways to accelerate the timeline.
ORX Section 3 will focus on improvements to the Indiana approach in Evansville. Design work began this year, and construction is scheduled to start in 2024 and finish in 2027. More information about I-69 ORX can be found at I69OhioRiverCrossing.com.
