Officials say they’re making preparations to launch a supplemental environmental impact study for the Ohio River Bridges Project.The study was ordered by the Federal Highway Administration and Project manager Gary Valentine with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says it will take about a year."Right now we’re in the process of talking with federal highways on how to manage that supplemental process over the next year and hope to have some information out soon on getting that underway," he said. The study was ordered to take into account that tolls will be part of the project and to reflect design changes proposed by the governors of Kentucky and Indiana and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer.Those changes are aimed at shaving $500 million off the projected $4.1 billion cost. The project as proposed includes two new Ohio River Bridges and the reconfiguration of Spaghetti Junction.Groundbreaking is scheduled for August of 2012.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.