OOIDA Information Update – Kentucky members
August 18, 2010

Dear Member,

A plan to place tolls on three bridges in the Louisville area in order to pay for two new bridges continues to draw discussion. There are multiple ways to voice concerns about the plan.

The Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridges Authority wants to fund about half of the $4.1 billion Ohio River Bridges project with tolls on new and existing bridges in the region. Plans also include improvements to the Spaghetti Junction interchange consisting of Interstate 64, I-65 and I-71.

Tolls would be placed on the existing Sherman Minton Bridge, the Clark Memorial Bridge and the John F. Kennedy Bridge.

A lot of opposition has been voiced about this plan. But more people are needed to communicate their concerns about charging tolls on bridges that have been built with federal and state highway funds.

An opportunity to comment is available tomorrow. A meeting of the Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridges Authority is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon, Thursday, Aug. 19, at the Gingerwoods Event Hall, 7611 Rose Island Road, Prospect, KY 40059. A financial plan and tolling study are expected to be released.

If you cannot attend the meeting, you can still submit a comment on this plan. Also, your state lawmakers need to know you are opposed to efforts to pursue tolls on existing transportation infrastructure built with tax dollars.

Let these officials know that you expect them to come up with other methods to pay for bridge work without putting an additional burden on truckers and others already paying their fair share in taxes.

The U.S. DOT is also accepting public comments. The Federal Highway Administration will include comments on this plan in a report that is expected to be released this fall.

Comments can be submitted by mail to Gregory Rawlings, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration – Kentucky Division, 330 W. Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601-1981.