JEFFERSONVILLE — Drivers should get ready for the biggest headache yet from the Ohio River Bridges Project as construction will reduce Interstate 65 North and South from three lanes to two beginning Tuesday, Sept. 2.
“We think this one’s going to be a tough one,” said Mindy Peterson, spokeswoman for the bridges project.
Officials are calling the 1 1/2 mile lane restrictions that extend from the Kennedy Bridge to Brown’s Station Way “The Big Squeeze,” which will be in place for the rest of the project through the end of 2016.
Peterson said that traffic will be directed both ways on the southbound stretch of the bridge for more than a year while demolition work on the northbound side is underway. Then, lane restrictions will switch to the northbound side.
“The net result is drivers will have to make do with two lanes of traffic [in each direction],” she said.
Initial lane restrictions to the southbound side will happen gradually over two weeks. The closures will cause backups on ramps and feeder roads, so drivers should expect longer commute times from the added congestion, Peterson said.
“So we believe that drivers are really going to be a in a pinch this time,” she said.
The Kennedy Bridge sees about 125,000 vehicles daily — 56 percent of cross-river traffic between Louisville and Southern Indiana. Peterson suggests that daily commuters spend some time planning new routes that fit their schedules best.
“This may be the tipping point for drivers where they may want to see if it makes more sense for them to add mileage to their trips,” she said.
Jon Reiter, Transit Authority of River City spokesman, said that the public transit company is in the process of rerouting bus lines.
“It’s going to diminish the traffic by a third,” Reiter said. “It’s certainly going to impact our service somewhat.”
He said that TARC riders can keep updated on schedule changes through text alerts via ridetarc.org
Trucking company Mister “P” Express Inc. is one of the many businesses that will be affected by the lane restrictions. President and CEO Cynthia P. Collier said that most of Mister P’s customers come from Louisville.
“There will be a hit for us,” she said.
The company is finding ways to adjust, such as negotiating areas in Louisville to be used as drop yards so drivers don’t have to come across the Kennedy Bridge.
“We’ve made a lot of phone calls, arrangements to try to be as proactive as possible,” Collier said.
She does see a silver lining in the inconveniences, though.
“This is a necessary evil,” she said. “This is something that we feel very strongly about that the bridges project is very important. So we are biting the bullet.”
Peterson said that’s the attitude hopes drivers take over the next two years when frustrations arise over the project — a massive, $2.6 billion undertaking designed to build two new bridges over the Ohio River and redo Spaghetti Junction in downtown Louisville.
“We know that they’re sitting in traffic already today ... and we know they’re going to be sitting in more traffic. But that is also the very reason that this project is underway,” she said. “The end result will be 12 lanes of cross-river traffic for drivers and that is something they’ve needed for years.
“It’s very tough to keep that in mind, we know that, but there will eventually be a light at the end of the tunnel.”