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Indiana, Kentucky governors sign joint transportation bill

By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In an effort to find ways to finance major transportation initiatives, including the Ohio River Bridges Project, governors Mitch Daniels of Indiana and Steve Beshear of Kentucky recently signed a bill that would help make the plan a reality.

The two met in Louisville on July 15 for the ceremonial signing. Kentucky recently closed out a special session of the state’s General Assembly which saw the passage of House Bill 3, legislation that provides for the creation of a Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure Authority.

According to information from Daniels’s office, the 11-member authority, which Beshear expects to appoint by fall, will have the mission of facilitating the construction, financing, operation and oversight of major projects by entering into bi-state agreements with Indiana and by creating bi-state authorities. The state authority also can create local authorities for projects entirely within Kentucky.

Indiana already has funding in place for the Bridges Project through the 2006 Major Toll Road Initiative which brought nearly $4 billion to the state by leasing the Indiana Toll Road to ITR Concession Company. The state budget plan recently passed by Indiana’s General Assembly also includes legislation to create a commission to work with Kentucky on the project.

Indiana State Rep. Steven R. Stemler (D–Jeffersonville, Ind.) introduced the measure to speed up the progress on the plan.
“This project is one of the largest infrastructure upgrades in the country. It presents a tremendous opportunity for economic growth and development, and will create thousands of construction and engineering jobs. As we continue to battle a mounting recession, this is exactly the time to move forward,” he said.

Daniels appointed Kerry Stemler, of New Albany, as the citizen member of the new state Ohio River Bridges Project Commission.
Stemler is president and chief operating officer of KM Stemler Company, Inc., and KM Stemler Trucking Company, Inc.

“Congratulations to Governor Beshear and his legislative colleagues. This legislation is an essential step forward toward investments that are critical to the economic prospects and quality of life for citizens of both states,” said Daniels. “With $600 million already set aside for this purpose, Indiana is ready to go to work.”
Meeting transportation needs was one reason Beshear called this year’s special session. He said the legislation envisions extraordinary cooperation on “mega-projects” that serve both neighboring states and is an essential step toward financing such projects.

“Governor Daniels and I recognize the importance of modern river crossings to both of our states. Kentucky and Indiana are quite literally at the hub of America’s interstate commerce,” Beshear said. “We also recognize that these are massive projects, too costly to be undertaken entirely by one state with only our traditional sources of transportation revenue.”

The Bridges Project includes the construction of two new bridges plus reconstruction of the Kennedy Interchange in downtown Louisville. Projected cost of the project is estimated at more than $4 billion, 30 percent of which is Indiana’s portion.
The idea of the mega-construction project has been around for many years. In November, 2001 a Draft Environmental Impact Statement was published with the final statement coming in April, 2003.

The Federal Highway Administration issued a Record of Decision in September, 2003 officially authorizing the project.

While preliminary work on the project began in 2006, funding has been a huge issue. If money remains available, the total completion would not likely take place until 2024.

According to information from the Bridges Coalition, a nonprofit organization advocating for the completion as quickly and as cost effectively as possible of the Bridges Project, 56,000 jobs would be created during construction along with thousands of jobs when completed.

It stated the project will also provide congestion relief, safer bridges and connecting highways, cross-river lanes for bikes and walkers and 40-45 more acres adjacent to Louisville’s Waterfront Park.

7/22/2009