The federal government has approved the tolling plan for the Ohio River Bridges Project.This means the project has cleared its final federal hurdle, and tolls may be placed on the new East End Bridge, the new downtown bridge and the existing Interstate 65 span.The final details on tolls and financing for the project are still being worked out, but the $2.6 billion project will be paid for with a combination of toll revenue and the federal transportation dollars that are sent to the states. Kentucky and Indiana will apply for additional federal loans.The project was recently split between the states, with Indiana taking responsibility for the East End Bridge and Kentucky overseeing the downtown bridge and reworked Spaghetti Junction. Both states now plan to send out requests for proposals for bridge construction.Later this month, ground will be broken on a road extension in Indiana that will eventually lead to the new East End Bridge.
