Indiana Gov. Mike Pence will make a “big announcement” pertaining to Interstate 69 at 1:30 p.m. June 30 at Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky, according to a tweet from @69BridgeLink.
The Southwest Indiana Chamber, Kyndle and local officials from Vanderburgh and Henderson counties have been pushing for construction of a new Ohio River bridge linking I-69 in the two states.
“I know (Pence’s announcement) is scheduled, but I don’t know what his comments are going to be exactly,” Henderson County Judge-executive Brad Schneider said.
Steve Schaefer, chief of staff to Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, said the mayor would defer details to Pence.
However, “I think it’s going to be good news pertaining to the bridge,” Schaefer said. “We’re optimistic and looking forward to it.” Pence’s office confirmed he will be at Ellis Park next week but gave no other information.
Local officials on both sides of the river say the bridge project has seemed to gain momentum lately. Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin announced earlier this year that he would change the state’s six-year road plan to move up funding on pre-construction activities related to the bridge project.
He said $2.5 million to fund an updated environmental impact statement on the project would be shifted from 2018 to 2017, and $300,000 would be added to that item to explore two possible paths for I-69 around the city of Henderson, linking to the I-69 stretch formerly known as Pennyrile Parkway.
Bevin also allocated about $40 million into the Kentucky road plan for 2019-21 for design and utility studies.
The new bridge is primarily a Kentucky-driven endeavor, but Indiana officials have long said that they, too, will be involved.
“There’s still a role for both states,” Schaefer said.
A new I-69 pathway over the Ohio River, east of Ellis Park, would allow vehicles to steer around the city of Henderson and presumably ease U.S. 41 traffic coming from the existing bridges through the city.
Local officials often point out the age of the U.S. 41 bridges - the northbound span opened on July 4, 1932, and the southbound bridge followed on Dec. 16, 1965.
The Twin Bridges are believed to see at least 40,000 vehicles a day.
The new four-lane, I-69 bridge has been projected to cost about $850 million.