Brent Spence Toll Bridge? (Cincinnati, Kent: credit, living, cost)

[rrtechno]

Originally Posted by ram2

That is completed. The tolls are still there.

It may be completed at the east end of the state, but not at the west end.

[WILWRadio]

After looking at the official website for the bridge, I noted they are only going to have 3 travel lanes in each direction. Not sure how that helps relieve traffic congestion.

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by ram2

Try one closer to home - the Ohio Turnpike. Opened in the 1950s and still charging tolls. The same with the PA Turnpike which opened in 1940.

The tolls were removed from this highway.

[unusualfire]

^In Ohio? Impossible. The state just got billions to lease it to some company from Australia.

[Joeytraveler]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

After looking at the official website for the bridge, I noted they are only going to have 3 travel lanes in each direction. Not sure how that helps relieve traffic congestion.

The current bridge stays, likely reduced to 3 lanes as well for a total of 6 in each direction.

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

^In Ohio? Impossible. The state just got billions to lease it to some company from Australia.

No, that is not it. The tolls were removed from the highway in Connecticut. Someone stated it has never been done and that is false. Perhaps in Ohio tolls have never been removed once they are implemented but that is not the case in the entire country. Therefore, it can be done.

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by Joeytraveler

The current bridge stays, likely reduced to 3 lanes as well for a total of 6 in each direction.

Well, at least that will relieve some of the traffic congestion. Still like the idea someone mentioned about bringing I 71 down to I 275 in KY. That makes a lot of sense if they don't have to use eminent domain to take a lot of existing buildings.

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by Joeytraveler

The current bridge stays, likely reduced to 3 lanes as well for a total of 6 in each direction.

Got to thinking. What are they going to do when the current bridge becomes obsolete or structurally unsound? Upgrades to the existing structure or another new bridge? I did not see this outlined on the website. Maybe I missed it.

[Joeytraveler]

I'd assume upgrades and maintenance can keep the bridge sound for many years to come. Such activities would be much easier to do as they'd have the ability to shut down lanes and divert more to the new bridge for any significant maintenance.

[hensleya1]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

Pay it off? Are you kidding? Tolls are forever.

unusualfire--

The only tolls I ever know of that went away was Kentucky's parkways... which was bound by a state law to get rid of the tolls once the bonds for the construction were paid off. Since Kentucky legally "owns" the Ohio River (the state line was drawn on the Ohio shoreline), does that mean Kentucky law would also apply here - the tolls would go away once the bonds were paid? How would other states (Ohio?) funding go into the mix?

That all said, I would rather see no bridge at all than have to deal with tolls. Who knows, if traffic gets bad enough, maybe all the growth in Northern Kentucky's suburbs would lead to employment growth there (Florence, Burlington area - there's a lot of warehouses and an increasing number of offices?). Let local traffic stay local and develop a viable employment center as an alternative to Cincinnati proper.

The old model of people living in the suburbs and working in the city is obsolete. It's what's created a commuter culture... live where you work. Saves gas, time, depreciation on your car, and a lot of headache, too.