Bridges of Southern Indiana (Louisville, Shively: apartment, car insurance, high crime)

[otterhere]

What is the situation with the various bridges over the Ohio River? I believe one is recently a toll and the other seems to be "out of order" often. Would living in Jeffersonville IN and commuting to Louisville KY be problematic?

[ischyros]

Lots of people live in Jeffersonville and commute to Louisville so it must not be that problematic. The I-65 bridge is a toll bridge but the US 31 bridge isn't. Those both link Jeffersonville to Louisville. There's also a pedestrian bridge that links the two as well if you were close enough to walk or ride your bike. As far as I know, the I-64 bridge on the far west side (New Albany) is not a toll bridge but the Lewis & Clark Bridge on the far east side (IN SR 265 & KY SR 841) is a toll bridge.

[ServoMiff]

Originally Posted by otterhere

What is the situation with the various bridges over the Ohio River? I believe one is recently a toll and the other seems to be "out of order" often. Would living in Jeffersonville IN and commuting to Louisville KY be problematic?

Your question is better answered in the Louisville forum, since Jeff is basically part of the Louisville metro area.

I live in Louisville and there have never been issues with any bridges being "out of order" since all of the construction on the additional I-65 and brand new Ky-841 (East end loop connecting to IN-265) bridges that were completed at the end of 2016. The I-64 bridge from New Albany is the only free interstate bridge, while the 2nd street bridge (or US-31 bridge) into downtown Louisville is also free. However, there are tons of cheapskates who use that bridge now because it's free, so when there are events in downtown Louisville or during rush hour, getting back and forth on that bridge becomes somewhat of a parking lot and isn't really recommended unless you're traveling during off hours of the day. If you're willing to pay the $4 round trip, the I-65 bridges are fast almost all of the time now.

Travel from the Indiana side into Louisville USED to be problematic, but the addition of two new bridges have alleviated the majority of the traffic concerns, except those too cheap to take advantage of the easy routes and choose to sit in traffic to save $2 each way.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Originally Posted by ServoMiff

However, there are tons of cheapskates who use that bridge now because it's free, so when there are events in downtown Louisville or during rush hour, getting back and forth on that bridge becomes somewhat of a parking lot and isn't really recommended unless you're traveling during off hours of the day. If you're willing to pay the $4 round trip, the I-65 bridges are fast almost all of the time now..... except those too cheap to take advantage of the easy routes and choose to sit in traffic to save $2 each way.

If somebody lives in Indiana and works in Kentucky and crosses the toll bridge each day to go to and return from work, at 4$ day becomes 80$ a month. I wouldn't think anybody is a cheapskate for saving 80$ a month. 80$ is quite a large chunk of change for most working class people. I think most people would rather spend 80$ on something else besides a toll fee.

Then I think of delivery drivers who may go back and forth between Kentucky and Indiana several times a day, that could run into an astronomical amount of money. At 5 times a day, that would be 20$ a day, 100$ a week, 400$ a month and 4800$ a year for toll fees. I bet the boss would say something about that.

[otterhere]

"...except those too cheap to take advantage of the easy routes and choose to sit in traffic to save $2 each way..."

That would be me!

[censusdata]

There are pros and cons to living on both sides of the river and each side has it's own good and bad areas. For now the cheaper housing and car insurance on the IN side would make for the cost of daily tolls. Wife and I were able to get a starter home in a gritty but safe area for $55k, that wouldn't be easy to do in less desirable parts of Louisville like Shively or Iroquois Park. Despite only putting 5% down our mortgage payment is cheaper ($350 a month) than any cheap studio apartment I've lived in. Our neighborhood here would be comparable to Camp Taylor (Popular just N of 264) or Auburndale and houses here are much cheaper and closer to shopping.

Traffic jams around the bridges has been massively reduced since construction ended. 2nd St Bridge does have more traffic since it's the free option into downtown but overall access is so much better. I live in central New Albany and commute to the airport area and when I'm driving at noon to 2p and 1030p I rarely hit much traffic at all. 20 mile commute but only takes 30 minutes going around I-264. If you do take a toll bridge 40 times per month and have a correctly setup Riverlink account you only pay $1 per pass, not $2 or $4 per pass.

[censusdata]

Originally Posted by ischyros

Lots of people live in Jeffersonville and commute to Louisville so it must not be that problematic. The I-65 bridge is a toll bridge but the US 31 bridge isn't. Those both link Jeffersonville to Louisville. There's also a pedestrian bridge that links the two as well if you were close enough to walk or ride your bike. As far as I know, the I-64 bridge on the far west side (New Albany) is not a toll bridge but the Lewis & Clark Bridge on the far east side (IN SR 265 & KY SR 841) is a toll bridge.

Big 4 pedestrian bridge is so popular during good weather it isn't great for bike commuting. You can do it but not at full speed. There are also sidewalks on the 2nd Street Bridge and talk of reopening the old side lines on the New Albany to Portland bridge for bikes and pedestrians.

[otterhere]

"...talk of reopening the old side lines on the New Albany to Portland bridge for bikes and pedestrians..."


At your own risk. Isn't that a rather high crime area on the Louisville side?

[ServoMiff]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

If somebody lives in Indiana and works in Kentucky and crosses the toll bridge each day to go to and return from work, at 4$ day becomes 80$ a month. I wouldn't think anybody is a cheapskate for saving 80$ a month. 80$ is quite a large chunk of change for most working class people. I think most people would rather spend 80$ on something else besides a toll fee.

Then I think of delivery drivers who may go back and forth between Kentucky and Indiana several times a day, that could run into an astronomical amount of money. At 5 times a day, that would be 20$ a day, 100$ a week, 400$ a month and 4800$ a year for toll fees. I bet the boss would say something about that.

If you're only looking at the money, then yes, but time is worth money - and if you choose to spend an extra hour in traffic every day each way to save that $2, you're actually gaining nothing (or very little) by choosing to sit in traffic. It's pure math along with people not valuing their personal time...which is why companies get away with such cheap wages because people don't value their own worth properly.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Originally Posted by ServoMiff

If you're only looking at the money, then yes, but time is worth money - and if you choose to spend an extra hour in traffic every day each way to save that $2, you're actually gaining nothing (or very little) by choosing to sit in traffic. It's pure math along with people not valuing their personal time...which is why companies get away with such cheap wages because people don't value their own worth properly.

If it takes 30 minutes each way to cross a free bridge 2 times a day and it takes maybe 60 to 90 seconds each way to cross the toll bridge, I suppose it would be worth it to spend 80$ a month for toll fees, that is if a family has 80$ each month to spare for toll fees. Otherwise, to avoid the 30 minute wait crossing the free bridge, I'd leave for work 30 to 60 minutes earlier each day.