Here is the article written posted on the Courier Journal web site on March 25, 2008 (today). I just found out this afternoon and no doubt those of us looking forward to seeing the interchange- we must speak up and be heard. I may look into an online petition where residents in Louisville could go to voice their displeasures and I would forward the comments on to the Senate and our Kentucky leaders.
Now, do remember this is a CJ article- take it for what is worth but I did hear some rumors flying around early today.
Take care,
Mike Brown
Don't forget to sign up for the WP yard sale at www.woodlawnparkhomes.com
FRANKFORT, Ky. - The state Senate yesterday approved spending $341million in federal funds on the Ohio River Bridges Project over the next two years, a move Senate leaders say will keep construction on track.
But while the Senate allocates more than the House did, much of the additional money would come at the expense of other road work - including about $65million in Louisville, said Sen. Brett Guthrie, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.
The Senate budget would provide $130million more than the House to essentially fund the project according to recommendations in a financial plan the federal government approved in January. That plan said $345million will be needed over the next two years for construction on the bridges project to be finished by 2024.
"We needed to make sure that we were able to fund the bridges and keep that project moving forward," said Guthrie, R-Bowling Green.
The Senate proposal met resistance from some Louisville lawmakers. Sen. Tim Shaughnessy, a Louisville Democrat, criticized the proposal for shifting money away from other projects.
"Instead of building ... other needs that we have, you're putting it towards the bridge project. That's all that we're doing here, and the bottom line is that is not politically acceptable," he said.
Rep. Jim Wayne, D-Louisville, said the House's two-year road plan funds the bridges project "at a reasonable level while trying to balance the rest of the needs of Jefferson County. You can't bottleneck other areas of Jefferson Coun ty indefinitely to then drain money and put it over to the bridges."
House budget chairman Harry Moberly, a key negotiator in a conference committee that will start meeting today to resolve the two chambers' budgets, said he had not reviewed the Senate budget in detail.
But he hinted that House leaders may object to the Senate's approach to funding the bridges.
"It's not palatable to our members," said Moberly, D-Richmond.
Senate President David Williams said his chamber's plan would accelerate an eastern Jefferson County bridge, which the House road plan would delay slightly.
The Burkesville Republican said delay of the eastern bridge would exacerbate traffic problems in downtown Louisville once work starts on reconfiguring Spaghetti Junction and on building an additional Interstate 65 span next to the Kennedy bridge.
Dick Brown, a spokesman for Gov. Steve Beshear, said the governor would not comment on specific parts of the Senate budget.
Among the Louisville projects that would be dropped in the Senate budget: The $26.7million Watterson Expressway interchange at Westport Road, which the Transportation Cabinet expects to start building this year.
Supporters and opponents of the $4.1billion bridges project, which includes new spans downtown and in eastern Louisville and a redesigned Spaghetti Junction interchange, were divided over the Senate's funding plan.
"It appears now that Jefferson County will be asked to sacrifice current projects to solve current needs to pay for the East End bridge construction," said Leslie Barras, associate director of River Fields, a conservation group opposed to the eastern bridge.
But Joe Burgan, a spokesman for 8664.org, which supports the eastern bridge as part of its plan to tear down a stretch of Interstate 64 downtown, said, "We applaud the Senate and urge the House to follow suit so we may bring the East End bridge back to primacy."
Kay Stewart, executive director of the Build the Bridges Coalition, said the group is looking ahead to when Senate and House members meet to work out differences in the two spending plans.
Meanwhile, Guthrie said he's not planning to consider a bill that would create a statewide authority with the power to levy tolls to pay for the bridges - a move that threatens to derail alternative funding for the project.
Moberly, whose chamber passed House Bill 689 earlier this month, said time is running out for lawmakers to consider it.
Reporter Marcus Green can be reached at (502) 582-4675.
