Indiana officials have announced the tentative contractor group that will build an East End Bridge in the Louisville region and it includes a Chicago-based business that was conditionally chosen this week by Kentucky to construct its portion of the Ohio River Bridges Project.
Walsh Construction is part of WVB East End Partners, one of four groups that entered proposals to build the East End Bridge. Its $763 million bid received the best score overall to design, build and manage the project after its open, making it Indiana’s best option.Walsh Construction's $971 million bid to build Kentucky's portion of the project--a new I-65 bridge and working Spaghetti Juntion--won the commonwealth's preliminary approval.Having Walsh participate in both Indiana and Kentucky’s project is beneficial, said Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman Will Wingfield.“There are efficiencies that can be realized by having similar teams working on both projects," he said.Wingfield said WVB has promised to complete the project by October 2016.Next, he says, the proposal will be the focus of a public hearing on December 1, which will take place in Jeffersonville.It must also receive approval by the state budget committee, the finance authority and Gov. Mitch Daniels, which is likely to be complete by the end of the year.Walsh's application for Kentucky will likely go under review and be approved prior to March 1, 2013.
