Federal, State Leaders Break Ground on Historic Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project

The project is set to improve safety, local connectivity and national commerce.

CINCINNATI - Today, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine were joined by federal, state and local leaders to break ground on the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the nation.

“Today, we took a major step forward for Kentucky, Ohio and America as we broke ground on the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project,” said Gov. Beshear. “This historic project will deliver safer travel for our families, create good-paying construction jobs, boost national commerce and ease congestion for commuters. From securing federal and state funding to ensuring project plans are moving forward, my administration has worked hard to deliver on this promise. When we work together, great things can happen for the American people – something Kentucky and Ohio are proving daily.”

This phase of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project will build a new state-of-the-art cable-stayed companion bridge to the existing Brent Spence Bridge, which crosses the Ohio River between Cincinnati, Ohio and Covington, Kentucky, and is considered among the worst traffic bottlenecks in the United States. In addition to new approaches to the companion bridge, all the connections to the existing bridge will be overhauled in each state. This includes more than 30 overpasses or underpasses in Ohio and a dozen in Kentucky.

“Today, after decades of planning and preparation, we are finally breaking ground on a solution to the traffic headaches and interstate commerce delays caused by the overcrowded Brent Spence Bridge,” said Gov. DeWine. “This new companion bridge will make our roads safer and our economy stronger, while demonstrating what’s possible when states and the federal government work together to solve our biggest challenges.”

More than $1 billion in freight passes through the I-71/I-75 corridor daily. The existing Brent Spence Bridge, which has served the region since 1963, currently carries significantly more traffic than it was designed to handle.

In addition to construction of the companion bridge, this $4.05 billion phase of the project also includes improvements to the existing Brent Spence Bridge for local traffic, such as the restoration of the emergency shoulders, redesigned ramp configurations, and new pedestrian and bike paths to strengthen community connectivity. 

The project is partially funded by two U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) grants totaling $1.63 billion, among the largest transportation grants in U.S. history. The balance of the project’s funding is expected to be covered through KYTC and ODOT state revenues and/or through financing. Each state will cover the cost of its own highway work and share the cost of the companion bridge. 

The companion bridge is expected to open in 2031, with approach work substantially complete by 2033. Early construction activities this spring and summer include approach work for the companion bridge, utility relocations and preparation for bridge foundation work in the Ohio River.  

This phase is expected to generate approximately six million hours of work and employ more than 700 skilled tradespeople, with the workforce potentially reaching 1,000 at peak construction.  

A timeline and cost of future phases of work of the project, including additional improvements to the overall 8-mile corridor and the rehabilitation of the Brent Spence Bridge, will be estimated closer to the time of construction.  

For project updates, travel advisories and construction information, visit BrentSpenceBridgeCorridor.com or follow the project on Facebook, X, and Instagram.