Work completed on Sherman Minton Bridge restoration
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After six years of planning and construction, the restoration of the Sherman Minton Bridge over the Ohio River is complete.
The Indiana Department of Transportation said Tuesday that all six lanes on both decks of the bridge connecting New Albany and Louisville, Kentucky, are now open to traffic.
The bridge first opened in 1962 and carries I-64 and U.S. 150 traffic over the Ohio River. The Sherman Minton Renewal project was a collaboration between Indiana and Kentucky designed to extend the life of the bridge.
A final cost of the project, which began in 2018, was not immediately available. INDOT said, however, that the project was fully funded through federal and state highway funds.
“To the tens of thousands of drivers who rely on this critical piece of infrastructure for their daily commutes, thank you for your continued patience during this complex construction project,” INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith said in a news release. “It’s no small feat to fully design and safely refurbish a bridge like the Sherman Minton, especially under live traffic while maintaining as much access as possible. The safety of drivers and construction crews guided our decision-making from start to finish.”
The project included replacing or rehabilitating bridge decks, structural steel elements and hangar cables, repairing drainage systems, adding new lighting and painting.
Officials said the project will add up to 30 years of life for the bridge.
“The Sherman Minton Renewal is necessary to preserve this national interstate and vital community link by keeping our infrastructure in a good state of repair, so drivers have a safe and sound connection to what matters most,” said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray. “The work of our design-build team will add up to 30 years of life to this bridge, which translates to improved quality of life for Kentuckians and all those who rely on it.”
All that remains is a final inspection to confirm contract specifications were met. That is expected to take place in mid-to-late January, and officials said short-term, single-lane closures will be required as the inspection gets underway.