New Bridges Offer New Route Options for Midwest Truckers
Free trial of routes before tolling begins Dec. 30
JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind., Dec. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Ohio River bridge connecting Louisville and Southern Indiana opens to traffic this weekend, providing a new routing option for truckers in the Midwest. The East End bridge connects Utica, Ind. and Prospect, Ky. (SR 265 and I-265), and is scheduled to open to traffic Sunday evening December 18.
The East End bridge is the final major piece of the $2.3 billion Louisville – Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project to open to traffic. The project also includes the new 6-lane, I-65 North Abraham Lincoln Bridge and the improved 6-lane, I-65 South Kennedy Bridge in Downtown Louisville. The combination of the two bridges has nearly doubled cross-river capacity downtown. Both bridges fully opened to traffic in Nov. 2016.
All three bridges will be tolled. Tolling is scheduled to begin at 4 a.m. on Friday, December 30. RiverLink is all-electronic tolling, with no stopping, no slowing, no lines and no coin machines.
With all three bridges fully open to traffic, truck drivers will receive a "free trial" of the new and improved system prior to the start of tolls.
Beginning December 30, when toll collection commences, all vehicles using the bridges must have a transponder to pay the lowest rates. Customers with E-ZPass, PrePass and BESTPASS toll accounts that include E-ZPass may use their existing transponders. Additional action is not required.
New customers can open RiverLink accounts and get transponders by calling 1-855-RIV-LINK (748-5465). Two transponder options are available. RiverLink local transponders are free, non-transferable stickers that work only on the Lincoln, Kennedy and East End bridges. RiverLink E-ZPass transponders work in all 16 E-ZPass states and are available for $15 each.
Specially trained customer service representatives are available by phone 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Demand is high. Commercial operators are encouraged to call early in the day to avoid delays.
The Sherman Minton Bridge (I-64) and the Clark Memorial Bridge (US 31/Second Street Bridge between downtown Louisville and Jeffersonville, IN) will not be tolled in connection with the project.
More than 30,000 trucks a day will use the toll bridges as a business route to save time, money and fuel. Tolls for Large Vehicles (5-axle or more) are between $10 and $12 per trip, and tolls for Medium Vehicles (with 3 or 4-axles or more than 7 ½ feet in height) are between $5 and $7 depending on account type.
Find more information and to open an account today, call 1-855-RIV-LINK (748-5465). Additional information is also available at www.RiverLink.com.
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The Louisville Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project includes two new bridges and their approaches, an improved Kennedy Bridge, and the reconstruction of the Interchange where I-65, I-64 and I-71 come together in downtown Louisville. The new Abraham Lincoln Bridge carries six lanes of I-65 northbound traffic. The improved Kennedy Bridge carries six lanes of southbound traffic. The new East End bridge connects the Gene Snyder Freeway in Prospect, Kentucky (I-265) with IN State Road 265 (Lee Hamilton Highway) in Utica, Indiana. Find more details on the Ohio River Bridges Project at www.kyinbridges.com.
SOURCE RiverLink
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