COVINGTON, Ky. — Soil testing for the new Brent Spence Bridge companion bridge and corridor project begins this week, bringing lane and shoulder closures near the I-71/I-75 Cut in the Hill starting Monday night.
The testing marks another step forward for the long-awaited infrastructure project that, at times, may have felt like the Loch Ness Monster in its mythical status among Tri-State locals. (Just ask the commenters on our latest Instagram post.)
New renderings released last month show a cable-stayed design where drivers coming into Ohio will travel on the top level of the bridge.
Watch for an overview of where the Brent Spence Bridge companion bridge project stands:
Timeline
A groundbreaking for the new Brent Spence Bridge is expected in early 2026, with completion anticipated in the early 2030s.
"This is the farthest along we've ever been," said Matt Bruning, ODOT's Press Secretary. “We are approaching 60% design on this project, literally hundreds of thousands, if not about a million, hours of actual work in the design."
Some viewers have written expressing skepticism over whether the project will ever get done. One man wrote to us: “Can't wait to drive my mobility scooter over that when I retire.”
Bruning said he understands the sentiment, but said “this bridge is going to get built.”
“This is a big moment for us, and we’re going to continue to seize this big moment,” he said.
Cost
The project comes with a hefty price tag: $3.6 billion according to estimates from two years ago. An update on the cost is expected in the fall.
When asked if funding would cover potential cost increases, Bruning said the department would wait for the update, “and then see where we go from there."
Hiring
The ODOT Press Secretary said the department’s focus is hiring as many people as they can on the project.
At its peak, there will be more than 1,000 workers actively working on the project.
“If you’re in the construction trades, you are in demand right now, and that’s the key message right now,” Bruning said, highlighting opportunities for high school students thinking about a future in construction.
Contractor information and opportunities are available here.
Traffic Impacts
While the new companion bridge is intended to ease congestion in the long term, construction will inevitably cause traffic disruptions in the short term.
"We'll be sharing more details as we get closer to construction about what those impacts specifically will be," Bruning said. “Anything you're doing on this corridor, whether there's a crash, a broken down vehicle, anything will back traffic up. So we want people to plan ahead and be mindful of that.”
There are three phases of the corridor project: I-71/I-75 in Northern Kentucky, I-75 from Findlay to Linn Street and I-75 from Findlay Street to the Western Hills Viaduct, which is still under construction by the city of Cincinnati.
The current soil testing will bring lane closures and/or shoulder closes near the Cut in the Hill starting Monday night, giving commuters a small taste of what's to come during the full construction phase.
Here’s a full list of closures via KYTC:
Tentative Schedule of Work
Monday, July 14
- I-71/75 northbound right lane closure between 188.3 and 190 mile points.
- I-71/75 southbound left lane closure between 190.9 and 192 mile points
Tuesday, July 15
- I-71/75 southbound right shoulder closure near the 189.8 mile point.
- I-71/75 southbound exit off-ramp to Pike Street will be CLOSED between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. (I-71/75 southbound collector/distributor: 191.08 to 190.96 mile points)
Wednesday, July 16
- I-71/75 southbound right shoulder closure near the 189.8 mile point.
- I-71/75 southbound exit off-ramp to Pike Street will be CLOSED between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. (I-71/75 southbound collector/distributor: 191.08 to 190.96 mile points)
Thursday, July 17
- I-71/75 southbound right shoulder closure near the 189.8 mile point.
- I-71/75 southbound exit off-ramp to Pike Street will be CLOSED between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. (I-71/75 southbound collector/distributor: 191.08 to 190.96 mile points)
Friday, July 18
- I-71/75 southbound right shoulder closure near the 189.8 mile point.
- I-71/75 southbound right shoulder closure on exit on-ramp from Pike Street (U.S. 25).
- I-71/75 southbound exit off-ramp to Pike Street will be CLOSED between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. (I-71/75 southbound collector/distributor: 191.08 to 190.96 mile points)
NOTE: For the tentative schedule of work listed above, motorists should expect lane/ramp closures between the evening/overnight hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., and the listed shoulder closures between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
