Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Hires National Company to Operate and Maintain ‘East End Tunnel’ in Jefferson County

KY State seal

 

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet • District 5

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Naitore Djigbenou
502.782.4829
Naitore.Djigbenou@ky.gov

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Hires National Company to Operate and Maintain ‘East End Tunnel’ in Jefferson County

Webber Infrastructure also to maintain 3 miles of adjacent roadway

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 12, 2023) – The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has contracted with a national company, Webber Infrastructure, to manage the operation and maintenance of the East End Crossing Tunnel and three miles of connecting roadways in Jefferson County.

To date, the tunnel has been managed through a combination of in-house staff and contractors. This contract enlists a single company to oversee maintenance which brings advantages like high accountability and performance with a lower administrative burden on the cabinet to focus on other top transportation projects and maintenance needs in the region.

“This first-of-its-kind maintenance contract for the Cabinet consolidates services and secures a single contractor experienced in managing complex assets,” KYTC Secretary Jim Gray said. “We look forward to making a seamless transition with a partner that shares our common goal of ensuring public safety and preserving the life of the tunnel.”

Webber, based in The Woodlands, Texas, was awarded the contract through a “best value” evaluation process that factored together a price score and a technical score.

The $20.56 million contract is valid for seven years, with an option to extend for three more years. Aside from the tunnel itself, Webber also will be responsible for about 3 miles of connecting roadway on KY 841/I-265. The tunnel’s operating system includes ventilation, fire protection and suppression, emergency communications, electrical and lighting systems and emergency power generation, among other things. There are currently no scheduled traffic impacts but motorists in the future can expect to see Webber-branded vehicles and personnel working near and in the tunnel.

The East End Crossing Tunnel carries traffic to and from the Lewis and Clark Bridge on the Ohio River. Its construction was part of an enormous Kentucky-Indiana bi-state project that included construction of the Lewis and Clark Bridge between Prospect, Kentucky, and Utica, Indiana; construction of the I-65 North Abraham Lincoln Bridge between Louisville and Jeffersonville, Indiana; rehabilitation of the Kennedy Memorial Bridge, which is adjacent to the Lincoln bridge and carries I-65 South, and improvements to the Kennedy Interchange, where Interstates 64, 65 and 71 converge in downtown Louisville.

 

Visit goky.ky.gov for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. You can also get traffic information for the District 5 counties at facebook.com/KYTCDistrict5 and twitter.com/KYTCDistrict5.

###