WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Grants may allow for new Ohio River bridge to be built at Madison

Grants may allow for new Ohio River bridge to be built at Madison

By Carrie Weil - bio | email  
Posted By Charles Gazaway - email

MADSION, IN (WAVE) - Living in a river town has its benefits. The people in Milton, Kentucky and Madison, Indiana enjoy the small-town life and beauty of the river, but they are also very dependent on one another for jobs and shopping. The problem is the bridge that connects the two towns over the Ohio River is in disrepair.

The Kentucky and Indiana transportation cabinets hope to win a federal grant so they can build a new bridge where the current one stands. But that means closing the Milton-Madison Bridge for almost a year and cutting off the two towns from one another.

In the historic town of Madison, what is old is treasured. Diana Gronverg of Main Street Antique Mall knows keeping those relics in shape is a tough job. "Why do you think I have white hair?" she jokes.

The rest of the folks in Madison and neighboring Milton are about to know too. The old Milton-Madison Bridge is one antique that just can't be saved.

"Everyone you talk to they say 'I'm scared to death to go across that bridge anymore,'" says Gronverg.

The Milton-Madison Bridge was built 80 years ago. It was designed for Model T's and tobacco trucks to cross it. Now, it is in such bad shape that semi's are not allowed on it. If nothing is done, in 10 years it will be shut down completely.

"What we are pursuing right now with the State of Indiana is replacing of the superstructure through a TIGER grant that is part of the stimulus package. And with the TIGER grant construction must be complete by 2012," said Andrea Clifford of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

The two states will learn in January if they get the $95 million grant for the $131 million project. If so, construction will start next summer to shore up the bridge's piers and traffic will continue. In early 2011, the steel truss would be dismantled and replaced with a new, wider and safer structure. That means the bridge would shut down for 9 to 12 months. For those on the Kentucky side of the river, it would be a huge inconvenience.

"We go to all the stores over there like Wal-Mart, Kroger and everything like that. If we got to go over and get beer that's where we have to go," says Ron Harper, a Milton resident.

For those in both states, the Ohio River will separate their homes from their livelihood. 

"It will be hard. A lot of our people work on that side, and a lot of their people work on this side," explains Gronverg.

The closest other river crossings are 26 miles upstream near Vevay, Indiana or 46 miles downstream in Louisville. Clifford says the transportation departments are working on a plan to ferry people and their cars across the river. It will be a free service, but further details are not available yet.

Clifford said they explored other options like building a new bridge in a new location, but that would cost millions more dollars and take many more years. Perhaps more time than the current bridge can stay open and safe.

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