Parsons to Lead Environmental Review and Prepare Preliminary Design for I-69 Ohio River Crossing

PASADENA, CA (November 29, 2016) – After an extensive Request for Proposal (RFP) process, Parsons has been selected by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to lead the environmental review and complete the preliminary design for the I‑69 Ohio River Crossing project. The RFP was issued in August, 2 months after Indiana Governor Mike Pence and Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin signed a Memorandum of Agreement to advance project development.

Parsons will evaluate the feasibility and environmental impact of various routes for a new bridge across the Ohio River to link existing sections of I‑69 in the two states—the Robert D. Orr Highway near Evansville, IN, and the upgraded Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway south of Henderson, KY. The environmental review and preliminary design are anticipated to be complete by the end of 2019.

“Parsons has a long history of performing technical services for INDOT and KYTC, including the bistate Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges project, which is nearing completion,” said Michael Johnson, Parsons Group President. “We are proud to bring our bridge design experience as well as our expertise in the evaluation and execution of sustainable urban development to this important regional project.”

In other efforts to improve and expand I‑69, late last year, Indiana opened 27 mi of new highway between Bloomington and Naval Support Area Crane, and Kentucky designated 44 mi of the Pennyrile Parkway in Henderson, Hopkins, and Webster counties as I‑69 by adding interstate highway signs along the route. In addition to the I‑69 Ohio River Crossing project, both states plan additional improvements on I‑69, including the extension of it by 48 mi in Indiana and 53 mi in Kentucky. The I‑69 improvements will connect residents with jobs, education, and healthcare, which is expected to enhance the economies of both southwestern Indiana and western Kentucky.

Designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation as one of six “Corridors of the Future,” I‑69 stretches across eight states from Texas to Michigan, with approximately 820 mi already operational. When complete, it will be a primary north-south artery for the movement of goods and services in the United States.