AASHTO Journal - Key Advances Made for Kentucky’s I-69 Bridge Project

The Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure Authority or KPTIA recently recorded another key step to build the new four-lane I-69 bridge project – which will connect Henderson, KY, and Evansville, IN – by approving an interlocal agreement that establishes a “tolling body” to help fund the structure’s construction.

[Above photo by KYTC]

That bridge is also a key part of the I-69 Ohio River Crossing or ORX project, which celebrated the opening of a nearly two-and-half-mile section of new roadway in November 2025.

Ultimately, the new bridge will be owned equally by Kentucky and Indiana, consistent with the Bi-State Development Agreement or BSDA signed between the two in August 2025; an agreement that includes the terms for financing, procurement, development and construction of the new I-69 bridge and other elements of the ORX project.

The KPTIA – established in 2009 by the Kentucky General Assembly and comprised of 11 voting members – reviews, approves, and monitors significant transportation projects within Kentucky and with Indiana and, if necessary, assists with the operation, financing and management of those projects.

Thus the new “tolling body” created by the KPTIA will be comprised of its chairman – currently Jim Gray, secretary of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet – and the commissioner of the Indiana Department of Transportation, along with two others they designate. It will also be responsible for developing toll rates and business rules for tolling, with only the new I-69 bridge being tolled.

The KPTIA also approved a change in the BSDA recognizing that U.S. Highway 41 will be a concurrent route with I-69. The U.S. 41 corridor will be signed Kentucky Route 2341 and Indiana Route 141, respectively; allowing the states to seek removal of the existing roadway from the National Truck Network. Other Action KPTIA also approved updates to the BSDA including insurance requirements and other items.

“We are starting the new year with continued momentum for this transformational project: We are moving towards construction,” said Gray in a statement.

“It’s exciting to see a project that has been championed for so many years become a reality,” he added. “This is a project about connectivity, safety and efficiency. It’s going to mean a better commute for drivers and interstate connectivity that opens the door to new opportunities for Henderson and the entire region.”