- Indiana Breaks Ground On I-69 Ohio River Crossing Project's Next Stage
- FHWA Allocates $800 Million Of Emergency Relief Program Funding
- New York Thruway Opens 20th New Service Area
- Traffic And Construction Activity Rise After Missouri DOT Eliminates Bridge's Tolling
- These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
This is a Subscribers-Only area. If you are a subscriber, please login. If not...
Become a Subscriber Today »
Indiana Breaks Ground On I-69 Ohio River Crossing Project's Next Stage
On Tuesday, Indiana officials including Governor Eric Holcomb (R) and INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith held a groundbreaking ceremony for Section 3 of the I-69 Ohio River Crossing Project (I-69 ORX). Construction will begin later this month and is expected to conclude in 2026. The $202 million INDOT project, one of three I-69 ORX sections, “focuses on the approach roadways and bridges that will provide all-weather construction access to the river to build the future I-69 river crossing,” which is Section 2 of the project. “The roads and bridges that are part of Section 3 will be used by construction crews to build the new crossing, and drivers will use the roadways and bridges once the new I-69 bridge is complete.”
Section 2, a bistate undertaking, is not yet completely funded. It has an estimated cost of $1.5 billion, some of which will be financed by toll collection. A four-year construction project is expected to begin in 2027.
Section 1, a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet project, started in 2022. Crews are extending the I-69 corridor on the Kentucky side of the river, which involves building several new bridges and intersections.
Evansville Courier & Press reports, “Rhetorically, [Tuesday’s ceremony] was a time to soar with the eagles.” Governor Holcomb told attendees, “This project is going to have an impact for generations to come in ways that I don’t think we can quantify right now.” He wasn’t referring just to highway safety and the potential for local economic development. Plans call for I-69 to extend from Mexico into Canada, and Holcomb predicted the highway will put the Evansville metro area “in the epicenter of North America’s trade corridor.”
Canada Economic & Social Considerations Affecting Transportation I-69 Ohio River Crossing (ORX 69} Indiana Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Kentucky Kentucky Transportation Cabinet MexicoFHWA Allocates $800 Million Of Emergency Relief Program Funding
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced last week “it is providing $802 million to 36 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. The funds will be used to support repair needs following natural disasters, extreme weather, or catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, flooding, and mudslides. Repairs as the result of these events will receive federal reimbursement funding under the FHWA’s Emergency Relief (ER) program.” FHWA stated the funding is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s “holistic approach” to creating more resilient infrastructure and helping states and communities respond to climate change impacts.
“The effects of climate change are dramatically impacting the lives of so many communities across our country,” said Kristin White, whose appointment as Acting FHWA Administrator was formally announced yesterday. “Since December 2021, FHWA has distributed nearly $4.2 billion in Emergency Relief funding. . . . This federal funding is critical to ensure our nation’s roads, bridges, and tunnels remain safe and people can safely get where they need to be.”
A chart embedded in the announcement lists the FY 2024 ER program allocations. More information about the program is available at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/erelief.cfm.
Appointments-Promotions-Retirements Climate Change & Infrastructure Resilience Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) US Department of Transportation (USDOT) US Gov't Transportation FundingNew York Thruway Opens 20th New Service Area
The New York Thruway Authority announced, the DeWitt Service Plaza on eastbound I-90 in Syracuse reopened this week after a complete renovation. The event is considered a “significant milestone” in Applegreen-owned Empire Thruway Partners’ $450 million P3 project to redevelop all 27 service areas. DeWitt is the twentieth facility to be modernized and the last of the 11 facilities in the Central New York I-90 corridor to be completed. The overall project is 75 percent complete and on track to wrap up by the end of this year. Thruway executive director Frank Hoare commented, “This project, along with numerous other initiatives the Thruway Authority is involved in, represents a commitment to modernizing our transportation system and improving the travel experience for motorists.”
The announcement lists the DeWitt area’s facilities, which include new food services, a dog-walking area, and a private nursing area. Applegreen plans to add four level 3 EV chargers at a later date.
Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Iris Buyer LLC and Applegreen PLC New York New York State Thruway Authority P3 & Privatization Service PlazasTraffic And Construction Activity Rise After Missouri DOT Eliminates Bridge's Tolling
LakeExpo.com reports, since April, when tolling of the Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge in Missouri was entirely eliminated, traffic and home construction activity have noticeably increased. Missouri DOT confirms that bridge volume is up 40 to 50 percent over counts for the same period in 2023, reaching a daily peak of 11,000 vehicles. When it was completed in 1998, the span opened to development an area previously considered too inaccessible. “Now that the toll is gone, builders and real estate experts anticipate even more development in the coming years.” Contractors tell LakeExpo they are already seeing signs of an uptick in construction.
Economic & Social Considerations Affecting Transportation Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge Corporation Missouri Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT)These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
If you’re not already a Daily News Briefs subscriber and you want a complete picture of today’s news, click here or call 717-991-2823 for subscription information. If you’re a newcomer to TollRoadsNews.com, click here.