Bridges Authority Hears Public Comment

by Gabe BullardThe Ohio River Bridges Project came under fire Thursday at a meeting of the authority tasked with overseeing its execution.The bi-state bridges authority's main job is to figure out how to pay for two new bridges between Louisville and southern Indiana and a rework of Spaghetti Junction downtown.The authority devoted part of its meeting at Indiana University Southeast to public comment on the project, and several speakers voiced opposition to the plan.Louisville Architect Steve Wiser suggested a less costly alternative to the 4 billion dollar plan, but the authority says it is only concerned with financing the project and not changing it. Wiser says he won't give up."We are going to continue to talk to those powers that be that perhaps have influence over this whole project because this is of major community importance," he says. "Everyone in the community needs to pay attention to this."The authority will likely end up financing the project with a combination of federal funds, bonds, state dollars and tolls.