John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge
Encyclopedia
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge is a seven-lane, single-deck cantilever bridge
that carries Interstate 65
across the Ohio River
, connecting Louisville
, Kentucky
and Jeffersonville
, Indiana
. The main span is 700 feet (213.4 m) (two spans) and the bridge has a total length of 2498 feet (761.4 m). There are four lanes that go northbound and three lanes that carry southbound traffic.
John F. Kennedy
was assassinated
on November 22, 1963. Four days later, Kentucky Governor
Bert T. Combs
announced that there was wide agreement that the bridge would be named in Kennedy's honor. The bridge was dedicated and opened for northbound traffic on December 6, and southbound traffic began flowing a few weeks later.
Between the late 1990s and 2006, the bridge was covered with rust-like spots and the state of Kentucky had failed in attempts to rectify this, a subject of local controversy. The state twice paid contractors to repaint the bridge who then failed to do so. The attempts cost over $23 million, with little apparent result. The first of the two contracts, awarded in 1999, ended two years later in a bribery scandal that resulted in criminal prosecution.
In October 2006, the state awarded a $14.7 million contract to Intech Contracting
of Lexington to paint half the bridge by Summer 2007. The new contract differed in that the project was split in two, and the original plans for a three color paint scheme were replaced with a simpler all beige colored one. The very southernmost portion of the bridge was completed in three colors (brown, beige, and green), although this will be painted over.
On December 5, 2007, the painting project was completed at a cost of $59 million dollars which included the two previous failed painting projects.
, a project to relieve traffic congestion in the Louisville area. The new bridge will provide six lanes for northbound I-65, while the Kennedy Bridge will be converted to carry six lanes of southbound traffic.
Cantilever bridge
A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using cantilevers, structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end. For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beams; however, large cantilever bridges designed to handle road or rail traffic use trusses built from...
that carries Interstate 65
Interstate 65
Interstate 65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. The southern terminus is located at an intersection with Interstate 10 in Mobile, Alabama, and its northern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 90 , U.S. Route 12, and U.S...
across the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, connecting Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Jeffersonville
Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville is a city in Clark County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. Locally, the city is often referred to by the abbreviated name Jeff. It is directly across the Ohio River to the north of Louisville, Kentucky along I-65. The population was 44,953 at the 2010 census...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. The main span is 700 feet (213.4 m) (two spans) and the bridge has a total length of 2498 feet (761.4 m). There are four lanes that go northbound and three lanes that carry southbound traffic.
History
Designed by the Louisville engineering firm of Hazelet & Erdal, construction began in the spring of 1961 and mpleted in late 1963 at a cost of $10 million. The span had yet to be named when U.S. PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
was assassinated
John F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
on November 22, 1963. Four days later, Kentucky Governor
Governor of Kentucky
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of government in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Fifty-six men and one woman have served as Governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once...
Bert T. Combs
Bert T. Combs
Bertram Thomas Combs was a jurist and politician from the US state of Kentucky. After serving on the Kentucky Court of Appeals, he was elected the 50th Governor of Kentucky in 1959 on his second run for the office. Following his gubernatorial term, he was appointed to the Sixth Circuit Court of...
announced that there was wide agreement that the bridge would be named in Kennedy's honor. The bridge was dedicated and opened for northbound traffic on December 6, and southbound traffic began flowing a few weeks later.
Between the late 1990s and 2006, the bridge was covered with rust-like spots and the state of Kentucky had failed in attempts to rectify this, a subject of local controversy. The state twice paid contractors to repaint the bridge who then failed to do so. The attempts cost over $23 million, with little apparent result. The first of the two contracts, awarded in 1999, ended two years later in a bribery scandal that resulted in criminal prosecution.
In October 2006, the state awarded a $14.7 million contract to Intech Contracting
Intech Contracting
Intech Contracting LLC is a Kentucky-based construction contracting company that specializes in bridge repair and restoration, inspection support, and related services....
of Lexington to paint half the bridge by Summer 2007. The new contract differed in that the project was split in two, and the original plans for a three color paint scheme were replaced with a simpler all beige colored one. The very southernmost portion of the bridge was completed in three colors (brown, beige, and green), although this will be painted over.
On December 5, 2007, the painting project was completed at a cost of $59 million dollars which included the two previous failed painting projects.
Second span
Plans are in the works to build a new span immediately upstream from the Kennedy Bridge as part of the Ohio River Bridges ProjectOhio River Bridges Project
The Ohio River Bridges Project is a controversial Louisville metropolitan area transportation project involving the reconstruction of the Kennedy Interchange , the completion of two new Ohio River bridges and the reconstruction of ramps on Interstate 65 between I-264 and downtown.One bridge will be...
, a project to relieve traffic congestion in the Louisville area. The new bridge will provide six lanes for northbound I-65, while the Kennedy Bridge will be converted to carry six lanes of southbound traffic.
See also
- Kennedy InterchangeKennedy InterchangeThe Kennedy Interchange, unofficially, though universally, referred to as Spaghetti Junction, is the intersection of Interstates 64, 65 and 71 at the northeastern edge of downtown Louisville, Kentucky, USA. It is named for the John F...
("Spaghetti Junction") - List of crossings of the Ohio River