NTP Issued for Bridges and Tunnel Project in Louisville

The Ohio River Bridges Project is moving ahead to construction in the new year with both states issuing “notice to proceed” on initial work for the teams that will build the Downtown and East End Crossings. The project includes a 2,000 lf twin bore, drill-and-blast tunnel under the historic Drumanard Estate as part of the approach on the East End Crossing in Kentucky.

Indiana and Kentucky have signed contracts with their respective construction teams, paving the way for pre-construction work including final design, geotechnical drilling and field surveys on both crossings.  Both states are acquiring the remaining parcels of property needed to begin construction in early summer 2013 on both the Downtown and East End Crossings.

Kentucky and Indiana are dividing responsibility for construction and oversight of the Bridges Project with Kentucky leading on the Downtown Crossing and Indiana leading on the East End Crossing.

Following the announcement of commercial close, Indiana issued an initial notice to proceed to WVB East End Partners for the East End Crossing. The team of Walsh Investors, VINCI Concessions, Bilfinger Berger and other regional, national and international firms was selected for its proposal to design and build Indiana’s portion of the Ohio River Bridges Project for $224 million less than estimated and open it to traffic by the end of October 2016. A second and final notice to proceed will be issued following “financial close” on the financial terms of the procurement, which is anticipated in early spring of 2013. Parsons was selected as the Construction Manager.

Kentucky is responsible for the Downtown Crossing portion of the Bridges project, which will build a new I-65 northbound bridge and reconfigure nearby interchanges in downtown Louisville and Jeffersonville, Ind. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet issued notice to proceed to Walsh Construction Co., leader of a “design-build” team that includes local, regional and national firms that will construct the Downtown Crossing.

Other short-listed proposer teams were: East End Mobility Partners (SNC-Lavalin Capital, John Laing Investments Ltd., Zachry Resources Inc., Tutor Perini Corp.); Ohio River Mobility Group (ACS Infrastructure Development Inc., Hochtief PPP Solutions North America Inc., Skanska Infrastructure Development Inc., Flatiron Constructors Inc., Dragados USA Inc.); and Ohio River Transportation Partners (Infrared Capital Partners Ltd., Balfour Beatty Capital, Kiewit Development Co., Traylor Bros. Inc., Massman Construction Co.).