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Brent Spence Bridge Fix


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Where does everyone stand on building a new I75 bridge? I read in the paper where our Northern Kentucky legislators are about to pass legislation giving away $37 million dollars that were designated for replacing the bridge. Here is what I would like to know from everyone:

 

1. Do you think we need a new bridge?

 

2. No one wants tolls, but how do you build a bridge without them?

 

3. How much of a toll would you pay to avoid sitting in traffic? Would you pay $1 to avoid 10 minutes in traffic? Would you pay $2? How much would you pay to avoid 30 minutes sitting in traffic?

 

4. How do you feel about our N. Ky. legislators' actions and/or lack of action on this issue? Does it bother you that they are giving away $37 million in bridge money?

 

5. What do you think will cost taxpayers more - tolls and building the bridge now or no tolls and building the bridge 10 years from now?

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Where does everyone stand on building a new I75 bridge? I read in the paper where our Northern Kentucky legislators are about to pass legislation giving away $37 million dollars that were designated for replacing the bridge. Here is what I would like to know from everyone:

 

1. Do you think we need a new bridge?

 

2. No one wants tolls, but how do you build a bridge without them?

 

3. How much of a toll would you pay to avoid sitting in traffic? Would you pay $1 to avoid 10 minutes in traffic? Would you pay $2? How much would you pay to avoid 30 minutes sitting in traffic?

 

4. How do you feel about our N. Ky. legislators' actions and/or lack of action on this issue? Does it bother you that they are giving away $37 million in bridge money?

 

5. What do you think will cost taxpayers more - tolls and building the bridge now or no tolls and building the bridge 10 years from now?

 

1. Yes we need a new bridge and ASAP!

 

2. You build a bridge without tolls because this is not just a KY and OH issue. I-75 is a major route for interstate commerce for half the country or more. We are sitting here with the House majority leader and the Senate minority leader representing the two states without to my knowledge a single proposal being presented to fix this issue. The bridge should be built with federal dollars.

 

3. If they toll it 471 will become bottlenecked IMO, plus why should KY residents be shouldered with the majority of the financial burden of the bridge. I blieve far more KY residents commute to Cincinnati daily that vice versa. I also wouldn't pay a toll but I don't use I-75 much.

 

4. Our local and national leaders have failed the people of the tri-state horribly on this issue. There should be no bridge money given away. A unique bill if necessary should be submitted through Congress to pay for the bridge. Again it is not just a KY-OH issue.

 

5. They lose big in both scenarios IMO>

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Biggest problem that I have with the Brent Spence Bridge project is this...

 

Not too long ago the I-35 Bridge collapsed in Minnesota. Afterwards, the feds got on board and helped out with about $250 million. All because the bridge was deemed critical for commuters and truck freight. (Sound familiar?) And, in a span of a little over a year, they had a new bridge.

 

But, to the best of my knowledge, the BSB already is carrying more vehicles across it than the I-35 Bridge did...but, because it's not falling down all at once, Washington doesn't seem too concerned with it.

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On the fed side, here is my biggest issue. We have the minority leader in the Senate and the Majority leader in the House that should be doing something on this bridge and they are doing nothing. So I ask, what value is it to have McConnell as a Senate leader? People say he needs to be re-elected because he has all this influence and I see no results. Same with Boehner. If you have influence, do something. If you can't do anything, then you really don't have influence IMO.

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Disclaimer:

 

I am no authority on this topic, nor have I recently read up on the particulars of it to be able to answer these questions with an educated response. My thoughts here are merely knee-jerk thoughts to your questions, and I very likely am exposing my ignorance by providing an attempt at some answers.

 

I have next to no knowledge related to the discussion of funding for the bridge. I have no idea who is being considered as the responsible parties for the funding, but since tolls are part of this discussion, I'm assuming that it's on the table that the responsibility will come from the motorists using the bridge.

 

It's likely that I'm just spitting out words to see where they splatter and probably shouldn't even make an attempt to respond, but in typical fashion I will write a book on the topic whether I have enough knowledge of it or not.

 

1. Yes, a new bridge is terribly needed. The BSB has always been, and is ever increasingly dangerous with switching lanes, and having no emergency lanes to speak of. It carries way more traffic now than it was ever designed 50 years ago to carry and although I can't say for sure, it wouldn't be surprising that after all these years it could possibly have suffered some dangerous structural damage because of all the extra traffic it has carried that it originally was not designed to. Not to mention that it's just downright ugly.

 

I'm not looking forward to how long and how involved the construction will be as it will undoubtedly effect the area for quite a while, but ultimately it needs to be done sooner than later.

 

2. Since this is an interstate bridge that effects in many ways more than just Kentucky and Ohio, I would think that the funds needed to build the bridge should come Federally and not just be the responsibility of the connecting states. Heavy transporting semi traffic is created by all states north and south of this particular area as well as general traveling motorists.

 

Tolls certainly are an option and would provide necessary funding, and put the responsibility more specifically on those who will be using the bridge.

 

3. Not sure that I understand the question. How does stopping to pay a toll keep traffic flowing smoothly? Perhaps you're saying that paying tolls now will provide an open door for a bridge that will be designed to have a smoother traffic flow in the future?

 

Would tolling one day cease when the necessary funds are reached, or is it being proposed to be a perpetual tolling?

 

Personally, I rarely take the bridge now as I can't stand it, and take alternate bridges to cross the river. That's just me as I live in close proximity to the river and utilize the various options available. Most motorists using the bridge don't have this convenient luxury.

 

4. I don't know enough about this question to make an attempt at answering it.

 

5. I don't know.

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^ In response to your question 3 points, I am saying a new bridge will clean up congestion. So as you are sitting in traffic in Erlanger, what would you pay to not sit in traffic? How much is it worth to you? I think people spend more than $1 worth of gas every day sitting in that traffic but they don't want to pay a $1 toll. It makes no sense to me.

 

And let me be clear that I don't want tolls, but I do want a new bridge ASAP in whatever way it takes to get it done, even if that means tolls.

 

 

My point on the cost, every year we wait, interest rates go up and it costs us taxpayers another $50M, or $100M. We are missing a huge opportunity by not getting this bridge funded and built now while interest rates are low. In fact, as I write that, it makes me think why isn't the federal government throwing dollars at funding every project they can. It could be like the WPA during the depression and be a big boost to the economy. More projects, more workers, more tax dollars - it would pay for itself.

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I don't currently live in Cincinnati, but I lived in NKY and worked in Cincinnati for about a decade, so I was taking the Brent Spence almost daily for the majority of that time. Did I want tolls? Of course not. Did I think they were necessary? In all likelihood, yes.

 

A few things that I think folks don't necessarily always realize are the fact that often times, tolls are no longer collected via toll booths with lines waiting to go through them. They are collected with cameras just like those at stop lights and intersections You don't stop and pay each time you cross the bridge - they mail you a bill. Also, in most areas, if the vehicle is registered to a local resident, the toll is less than it would be for, say, an over the road trucker in a semi....or the Michiganders driving down I-75 to wherever they go every Friday in the spring and summer. I know that between my drives to and from work each day, I averaged at least 1-1/2 hours of sitting in traffic, if not two. That cost me gas, and that cost me time. If that toll were to get rid of that time in traffic for me, I can tell you that although I'm sure I'd whine about it for a little while, I'd be okay with tolls.

 

At the same time, I DO think the federal government needs to have a hand in this matter - even if they are only offering partial funding. The I-75 corridor is one of the absolute busiest routes in the US Interstate Highway System, and the federal government has a vested interest in seeing to its maintenance and welfare. I can't help but agree with VoR when he says that McConnell and Boehner are clearly showing how indifferent they feel about their respective constituencies.

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^ In response to your question 3 points, I am saying a new bridge will clean up congestion. So as you are sitting in traffic in Erlanger, what would you pay to not sit in traffic? How much is it worth to you? I think people spend more than $1 worth of gas every day sitting in that traffic but they don't want to pay a $1 toll. It makes no sense to me.

 

And let me be clear that I don't want tolls, but I do want a new bridge ASAP in whatever way it takes to get it done, even if that means tolls.

 

 

My point on the cost, every year we wait, interest rates go up and it costs us taxpayers another $50M, or $100M. We are missing a huge opportunity by not getting this bridge funded and built now while interest rates are low. In fact, as I write that, it makes me think why isn't the federal government throwing dollars at funding every project they can. It could be like the WPA during the depression and be a big boost to the economy. More projects, more workers, more tax dollars - it would pay for itself.

 

 

Because there are probably tens of thousands of projects with similar needs and only a finite amount of money. It's a coming train wreck.

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On the fed side, here is my biggest issue. We have the minority leader in the Senate and the Majority leader in the House that should be doing something on this bridge and they are doing nothing. So I ask, what value is it to have McConnell as a Senate leader? People say he needs to be re-elected because he has all this influence and I see no results. Same with Boehner. If you have influence, do something. If you can't do anything, then you really don't have influence IMO.

 

1. McConnell is the minority leader as you stated so as long as Reid leads the senate his hands are tied .

2. I believe infrastructure is one of governments main jobs a long with defense so obviously the federal government should replace this bridge with our tax dollars.

3. But when people continue to support candidates who create programs and add expenses to the federal government outside of the original intent and structure of the Federal government , should not be so surprised when there is little money left for government to full fill core duties.

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1. McConnell is the minority leader as you stated so as long as Reid leads the senate his hands are tied .

2. I believe infrastructure is one of governments main jobs a long with defense so obviously the federal government should replace this bridge with our tax dollars.

3. But when people continue to support candidates who create programs and add expenses to the federal government outside of the original intent and structure of the Federal government , should not be so surprised when there is little money left for government to full fill core duties.

 

No one in Kentucky is doing this, or perhaps I should say the candidates that would do this are not elected in Kentucky or southwest Ohio.

 

You are confirming in point one that McConnell has no power? So why re-elect him?

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I don't know any of the particulars of your bridge, but I would be astonished if new bridge is built without tolls being in the equation. Don't be disheartened. It took about 30 years to approve a bridge(s) over the river in Louisville. Construction is now underway and good progress is being made. I don't believe the exact amount of the tolls has been officially determined yet.

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Build It . Institute tolls .

 

NO TOLLS. Cut back on some of the millions/billions USA sends to other countries and earmark that money to take care of the infrastructure of THIS COUNTRY. My wife and I would have to each pay twice a day 5 and 6 days a week. We cannot afford the extra cash, and no neither job is accessible by bus. Alternate routes will be congested for sure and some of those routes are not motorist friendly. Do we honestly believe if tolls are put on that bridge, they will eventually be taken off? Hell no! This is a huge tax boondoggle for state and federal. Those tolls will NEVER be taken off that bridge. I wish I was as financially set as some people are.

Edited by OlDog75
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No one in Kentucky is doing this, or perhaps I should say the candidates that would do this are not elected in Kentucky or southwest Ohio.

 

You are confirming in point one that McConnell has no power? So why re-elect him?

 

I would say because most political analyst predict the GOP to take back the Senate and with Boehner in the house and McConnell in the Senate I'd say that is great for the KY and Ohio area.

 

I personally don't vote for people based on pork projects but if that is important to you the scenario I painted above is your best chance.

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