Final inspection planned for January
The final phase of the Sherman Minton Renewal is now complete, reflecting a permanent return to the bridge’s pre-construction traffic configuration safely connecting Louisville, Ky. and New Albany, Ind. All six lanes on both decks of the Sherman Minton Bridge are now open to traffic.
It’s the next to the last step in the bi-state restoration project to extend the life of the bridge and ensure its use for years to come. The project team is now coordinating a mid-to-late January final inspection to confirm contract specifications were met. Short-term, single-lane closures will be required to ensure the safety of both the inspection team and drivers.
“To the tens of thousands of drivers who rely on this critical piece of infrastructure for their daily commutes, thank you for your continued patience during this complex construction project,” said INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith. “It’s no small feat to fully design and safely refurbish a bridge like the Sherman Minton, especially under live traffic while maintaining as much access as possible. The safety of drivers and construction crews guided our decision-making from start to finish.”
The multi-phase construction process included replacing or rehabilitating bridge decks, structural steel elements and hanger cables, repairing drainage systems, adding new lighting, and painting. By the numbers, the following materials were used:
- 3.8 million pounds of reinforcing steel or rebar
- 10,000 cubic yards of concrete
- 502,000 pounds of stringer beams—new steel beams under the bridge deck
- 128 new hanger cables, totaling 162,000 pounds and 9,980 feet, between the arches and bridge deck
“The Sherman Minton Renewal is necessary to preserve this national interstate and vital community link by keeping our infrastructure in a good state of repair, so drivers have a safe and sound connection to what matters most,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “The work of our design-build team will add up to 30 years of life to this bridge, which translates to improved quality of life for Kentuckians and all those who rely on it.”
The Sherman Minton Renewal launched in 2018 with an extensive public involvement process that gathered feedback from community leaders, elected officials, business owners and the public. This process allowed the project team to listen, receive input on public preferences and share information about options and planned approaches prior to the start of construction.
In response to the public’s preference for greater access to the bridge and a longer construction period, the project team developed a low-impact maintenance of traffic plan that provided as much access to the bridge as possible throughout construction.
To learn more about the project, watch this overview video.
