Parsons Selected to Lead I-69 Ohio River Crossing Review
Indiana Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 11/15/2016 09:28 AM EST
Parsons Selected to Lead I-69 Ohio River Crossing Review
The Indiana Department of Transportation and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet have selected the professional services team led by Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. to complete preliminary design and the environmental review for the I-69 Ohio River Crossing project. The required review will collect public input and study potential routes to connect the existing I-69 sections, the Robert D. Orr Highway south of Evansville and the upgraded Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway south of Henderson.
The Parsons team scored the highest in a two-step, competitive process that reviewed the firms’ technical qualifications. Initial responses to INDOT’s request for proposals were due on Sept. 13.
INDOT and KYTC invited teams led by HDR Engineering Inc., Michael Baker International Inc., Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc. and Parsons Transportation Group Inc. to Evansville last month for in-person presentations. Representatives from the Evansville Metropolitan Planning Organization and Federal Highway Administration division offices for Indiana and Kentucky sat in on the presentations.
INDOT and KYTC plan to meet with Parsons this week in Evansville to begin contract negotiations. The project team hopes to have an advance or “start-up” contract terms negotiated by the end of this year.
Indiana Governor Mike Pence joined Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin in Henderson, KY, in late June to announce a combined commitment of about $17 million and to sign a Memorandum of Agreement that advances project development. To view the MOA and more information about the I-69 Ohio River Crossing project, visit www.in.gov/indot/3472.htm.
The environmental review and preliminary design will consider and collect public input on funding sources to build the project. Working cooperatively with the Federal Highway Administration, Indiana and Kentucky anticipate it will take about three years to complete the review and reach conclusions for the I-69 Ohio River Crossing route.
About I-69
Interstate 69 is a key component to the future economic vitality of southwestern Indiana and western Kentucky, and will connect entire regions with improved access to jobs, education and health care.
Designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation as one of six Corridors of the Future, I-69 stretches across eight states between Michigan and Texas, with about 820 miles already open for business. When completed, it will be a primary north-south artery for the movement of goods and services in the United States.
Late last year, Indiana opened 27 miles of new highway between Bloomington and Naval Support Area Crane, and Kentucky added I-69 signs along 44 miles of the Pennyrile Parkway in Henderson, Hopkins and Webster counties.
In addition to the I-69 Ohio River Crossing, completion of the I-69 corridor in both states requires improvements to 53 miles of Kentucky’s Purchase Parkway from Fulton to Calvert City and 48 miles of Indiana 37 between Bloomington and Indianapolis.
Media Contacts Indiana Department of Transportation: Will Wingfield, 317-233-4675 or wwingfield@indot.in.gov Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Ryan Watts, 502-782-4828 or ryan.watts@ky.gov
