The Brent Spence Bridge replacement and refurbishment is a joint priority of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and state government officials have said  an RFP could be released next year if a public-private partnership financing model is finally chosen.

The Federal Highway Administration issued for the $2.7 billion Brent Spence Bridge Replacement & Rehabilitation project a Finding of No Significant Impact  (FONSI) last August.

More than 170,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day. The structure is considered functionally obsolete in part because of a lack of a shoulder and smaller than standard lanes.

Local sources said last week that project officials are currently finalizing action plans based on the Began Value for Money study and hope to begin the necessary right-of-way acquisition process this year.

Construction could begin as early as 2015 if the current schedule continues to be met.

In April 2013, twenty three companies, or teams of companies, responded to an Ohio Department of Transportation inquiry designed to gauge private-sector interest in the project.

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