Segment 4

Segment Description
Approximately 35 miles. Segment 4 begins at Interstate 64 northeast of Evansville, Indiana. It follows the existing I-164 south to Green River Road, then continues south (instead of turning west with I-164) to cross the Ohio River over a new bridge. After entering Kentucky, I-69 will continue south over new terrain for approximately 4 miles before joining the existing Edward T. Breathitt Parkway just south of the Audubon Parkway. Systems interchanges are planned where I-69 will tie into the existing Breathitt Parkway at the south end, I-164 north of the proposed Ohio River bridge, and possibly where I-69 will cross the Audubon Parkway. Construction is expected to cost $1.4 billion, with Kentucky's share being $950 million, and $450 million for Indiana. There is no timetable for completion of this segment due to lack of funding (see below).

Status
A Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) has been prepared by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). The FEIS was submitted to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2006. However, the FHWA is requiring Kentucky and Indiana to secure funding to complete the unbuilt portions of this segment before it will hold public hearings, approve the FEIS, and issue a record of decision (ROD).

Indiana has set aside money from its Major Moves program to finance construction of the approach roadways connecting the planned Ohio River bridge to the (former) I-164 (now part of the I-69 corridor). Until recently, Kentucky had not identified any funding source for its portion including the Ohio River bridge, as the project was competing against several other bridge projects elsewhere along the Ohio River. $43.82 million was allocated in 2016 and another $28.4 million in 2018, for a total (so far) of $72.22 million, with $267 million more proposed but not yet approved (see below).

Governor Andy Beshear has proposed $267 million for the project in his first statewide 2020 Six-Year Recommended Highway Plan (covers Fiscal Years 2020-2026; total of approximately $6.1 billion): $77 million of that would be available from 2020-2022 with the rest ($190 million) coming in 2023-2026; money would finance design, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation and begin constructing a portion of the project. The proposed road plan still needs to be approved by the state legislature before it can be allocated. The project that would be developed with this money runs from the Henderson Bypass (Kentucky Route 425) to U.S. Route 60 (including the 2.8 miles of U.S. Route 41). The rest of the project, including the bridge, is currently unfunded. According to the proposed plan, construction could start as early as late 2022. The Kentucky General Assembly later approved $37 million, much less than the initial amount requested, due to the upcoming economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Kentucky's budget.

In July 2009, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear signed House Bill 3, authorizing the creation of a public infrastructure authority with the power to enter into bi-state agreements with Indiana. The bill authorized the Kentucky Public Infrastructure Authority (KYPIA) to create regional toll authorities made up of appointees by the Governor of Kentucky and by local officials. The panels will be joined by state and local appointees from Indiana.

The first regional toll authority was established in October 2009 to finance and oversee construction of two bridges over the Ohio River near Louisville. Indiana and Kentucky officials stated the Louisville bridges will proceed first since a ROD has already been signed for that project, and aside from funding the Louisville bridges project is largely "shovel-ready."

Kentucky and Indiana officials plan to establish a similar regional toll authority to construct the I-69 bridge over the Ohio River once issues with the Louisville bridges are resolved. One of the major isues the I-69 bridge authority will have to address will be whether or not to toll the existing US-41 bridges between Evansville and Henderson.

Project Restart
Then-Indiana and Kentucky governors Mike Pence and Matt Bevin signed an agreement to restart the planning phase back in 2016. A $17 million contract was awarded to an engineering firm in 2017 (Parsons Corporation of California) to do the required environmental studies and preliminary design work; tasks are due by the end of 2020 (three years from then). A draft environmental impact statement was released back in December 2018 that selected Central Alternative 1 from four others: one east alternative, two west alternatives and a second central alternative. Final EIS and ROD due 2020 (delayed from late 2019). Once a record of decision is issued, right-of-way acquisition could begin shortly after the release. Construction could begin as soon as 2021 and wrap up as soon as 2025.