Sherman Minton Bridge | |
|---|---|
 The bridge in 2025 | |
| Coordinates | 38°16′42.44″N85°49′19.34″W / 38.2784556°N 85.8220389°W /38.2784556; -85.8220389 |
| Carries | 6 lanes (3 upper, 3 lower) of  I-64 /US 150 |
| Crosses | Ohio River |
| Locale | Louisville, Kentucky andNew Albany, Indiana |
| Maintained by | Indiana Department of Transportation |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Double-decked twintied arch bridge |
| Total length | 2,052.9 ft (625.7 m) |
| Width | 42 ft (13 m) |
| Longest span | 800 ft (240 m) |
| Clearance above | 16.3 ft (5.0 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | December 22, 1961 (lower deck) September 1, 1962 (upper deck) |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 68,000/day |
| Location | |
 | |
TheSherman Minton Bridge is a double-deckthrough arch bridge spanning theOhio River, carryingI-64 andUS 150 over the river betweenKentucky andIndiana. The bridge connects the west side ofLouisville, Kentucky to downtownNew Albany, Indiana.
The bridge is a double-deck configuration—westbound traffic from Kentucky to Indiana travels on the upper deck of the bridge, while eastbound traffic from Indiana into Kentucky travels on the lower deck of the bridge. It is of similar construction to theHernando de Soto Bridge inMemphis, Tennessee (with the primary difference being that the de Soto Bridge is single-deck).
The steel used wasT1 steel, which in the early 1960s was "innovative material" but is much weaker than modern steel. Classification of the bridge is "fracture critical" because if one part of the bridge should fail, the entire bridge could be at risk.[1]
In 1952 theSecond Street Bridge was reaching peak traffic, and theK&I Bridge faring similarly.Arthur W. Grafton commissioned two studies in 1952 and 1953, with their results being a need for two bridges in Louisville; one crossing toJeffersonville, Indiana, and the other to New Albany.[2]
Hoosiers as far asScottsburg, Indiana (30 miles (48 km) away) were vastly against making any bridges toll, and many residents of Louisville were against toll bridges as well. When theInterstate Highway System was announced by PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower, the solution became clear. The Federal government would finance 90% of both bridges, with Indiana paying 10% of the New Albany bridge, and Kentucky paying 10% of the Jeffersonville bridge.[2]
The New Albany bridge was given toHazelet & Erdal, of Louisville to design in 1956. Construction began in June 1959. The lower deck was dedicated and opened on December 22, 1961, by Indiana Governor Matthew Welsh and Kentucky GovernorBert T. Combs. It was built at a cost of $14.8 million.
At the time it was dedicated, it was named the Louisville–New Albany Bridge. New Albany Mayor C. Pralle Erni suggested to Indiana State Senator Clifford H. Maschmeyer of Clarksville to name the new bridge for the former United States Senator andSupreme Court justiceSherman Minton. On April 4, 1962, Indiana governorMatthew E. Welsh made the formal announcement that it would be named for Minton, who was a native of New Albany.[3]
The upper deck was completed on September 1, 1962, and opened that day at 11:00 AM without ceremonies. The American Institute of Steel Construction in 1961 named it the most beautiful long-span bridge of the year.[2]
On February 5, 2009, a fifteen containercoalbarge lost power and was pushed downstream by the current and struck the bridge's central pier. TheIndiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) closed the bridge for several hours while it was inspected for damage. When no damage was found, the bridge was reopened later the same day.[4]
On September 9, 2011,Indiana GovernorMitch Daniels ordered the bridge closed. This was done after construction crews found cracks in the main load-bearing structural element. Experts from INDOT, theKentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), theFederal Highway Administration (FHWA), and private engineering firms and academic institutions participated in determining the severity of this crack and others found on the bridge, and determine whether the bridge could be saved.[5][6]
It was initially feared the bridge would remain closed from several months to up to 3 years, and that the entire span would have to be either completely replaced or extensively renovated before the Sherman Minton Bridge could reopen to traffic. However, engineers determined the crack that initiated the bridge closure dated back to the bridge's original construction in the 1960s, but had not been discovered until the summer of 2011 because another structural component was covering it. On September 23, 2011, Kentucky GovernorSteve Beshear and US Secretary of TransportationRay LaHood announced the 2.5-inch crack has been repaired, but the bridge would remain closed until crews completed an inspection of the remainder of the bridge.[7] Five to seven additional cracks were discovered during the following inspection in welded areas in a load-bearing steel beam. "The fissures were discovered in a type of steel frequently used in the 1950s and 1960s that is now known to be susceptible to cracking. ...". This necessitated the bridge being closed for an extended period of time for repairs. Repairs cost $20 million and ultimately took four months to complete.[8]
In a news release from the Indiana Department of Transportation, dated October 18, 2011, Governor Mitch Daniels announced that Louisville based Hall Contracting of Kentucky had been awarded the repairs contract in the amount of $13.9 million. A time frame of 135 work days was announce with an incentive of $100,000 per day to finish early. Likewise, a penalty of $100,000 would be deducted from the contract payments for each day over. Repair cost were covered by theFederal Highway Administration, who announced on September 30, 2011, that it would contribute 25% of the cost, with the remaining 75% being equally split between Indiana and Kentucky.
The contract attached 1,200 short tons (1,100 t) of reinforcing steel plating along both sides of the bridge ties spanning 1,600 feet (490 m). The repairs along with regular maintenance increased the bridge's safety and reliability and extend its useful life by at least 20 years.[9]
Repairs were completed and the Sherman Minton Bridge reopened at 11:50 pm on February 17, 2012.[10]
The bridge has been expected to see major increases in traffic following the completion of theOhio River Bridges Project at the end of 2016. The project included repurposing theJohn F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge, which previously carriedI-65 in both directions, for southbound traffic only; building the newAbraham Lincoln Bridge for northbound I-65 traffic; and building theLewis and Clark Bridge to connectI-265 in the two states. The two I-65 crossings and the I-265 bridge aretolled to pay for the project, leaving the Sherman Minton as the only free interstate-quality river crossing in the Louisville area. One consultant who worked on a transportation study for the Kentucky government predicted that traffic on the Sherman Minton would increase by nearly 40% once tolling on the other bridges started.[11]
Works cited
Bridges of theOhio River | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
