Twin bridges get federal backing, with future in question

HENDERSON, Ky. (WFIE) - Leaders in Henderson are confident they can save the twin bridges from closing once the I-69 bridge is complete.

Right now, the official plan is to close the southbound bridge one I-69 is finished.

“In the record of decision, it says in no uncertain terms that the southbound bridge will go away when the new bridge is opened,” said Henderson Mayor Brad Staton.

Staton is one of many local leaders, on both sides of the river, trying to stop that. Now, he believes support for the twin bridges is growing at the federal level too.

“Congressman [James] Comer came out and expressed his support for keeping both bridges in place,” Staton said. “We’ve developed a network up and down the chain of people who know the value of keeping both of those bridges in place when the new bridge is operational.”

Staton says he wasn’t surprised, but was happy to receive support from Congressman Comer in a recent visit to Washington D.C. He says the support for the twin bridges continues to grow, adding to the state representatives, governors, and transportation secretaries in both states they’ve already met with.

He hopes that will pay off before the I-69 bridge is complete, and the current record of decision would close the southbound bridge.

“Yes, I believe the record of decision will eventually be amended,” Staton said, “because we do have the support to do so. I’m confident that the people we’ve met with will come through when it matters, and that we can a new bridge and keep both twin bridges in place to make sure that the project is connected and that we’re taken care of locally at the same time.”

Staton says if the twin bridges were to go away, it would hurt businesses on the U.S. 41 strip, farmers trying to move equipment across state lines, and cause a permanent traffic jam.

“Here locally, you can guarantee that the number one issue that we are to tackle over the next 10 years here in Henderson is going to be keeping both twin bridges, keeping them open and keeping them free,” Staton said.

The I-69 bridge is currently slated to open in 2031, giving leaders about six years to get that official record of decision changed, keeping the southbound bridge open.

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