$2.3 Billion Ohio River Bridges Project Complete in Louisville

Whether you call it the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project, the Downtown Crossing, or the new Spaghetti Junction—call it done.

1 minute read

December 27, 2016, 2:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Louisville Bridge

Thomas Kelley / Shutterstock

"With the opening of the East End bridge on Sunday and the official start of tolling set for Friday, Dec. 30, construction of the $2.3 billion Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project has pretty much concluded," according to an article by Michael Finley.

"To recap, the bridges project had two major components in the downtown crossing, which included reconfiguring Spaghetti Junction, and the East End crossing, which includes the East End bridge and new roads and tunnels to connect to the bridge," explains Finley. Finley's article provides a retrospective of the project's long construction process.

The Downtown Crossing portion of the project wrapped up construction in November, as reported by Sheldon S. Shafer in a separate article for the Courier-Journal. Earlier this month, the Courier-Journal also commemorated the project by posting aerial images of the completed Spaghetti Junction. Walsh Construction, lead contractor on the project, working with the states of Indiana and Kentucky, also posted a celebratory blog post announcing the end of construction back in November. That project lists the goals and priorities for the project, from the obvious pro-construction perspective of the development team.

For a much more critical take on the pro-highway politics that approved and funded the project, revisit a post by New York Times architecture Michael Kimmelman, who visited the city in 2012.

Friday, December 16, 2016 in Louisville Business First

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

People sitting and walking in plaza in front of historic Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners

How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

March 28, 2025 - Emily McCoy

Orange and white vintage-look streetcar on Market Street in San Francisco, CA.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024

The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

April 4 - San Francisco Chronicle

Green and silver Max BRT bus at station in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding

In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

April 4 - Colorado Public Radio

Low view of separated bike lanes in middle of Pennsylvania Avenue with U.S. Capitol dome visible at end of street at night.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy

The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.

April 4 - Grist