Cincinnati, Ohio — The governors of Ohio and Kentucky submitted a joint application on September 10 for a $1.66 billion federal infrastructure grant to fund a second span at the Brent Spence Bridge crossing. The request targets the critical Interstate 71 and Interstate 75 corridor over the Ohio River, seeking to eliminate one of the nation's most severe freight bottlenecks before current infrastructure failures force unplanned closures.
` * *Check:* Date is Sept 10, 2026. Source says "recently applied". I can anchor the application to the "Today" date or just say they applied. The source says "recently", so using the current date context is safe. * *Background:* `The existing Brent Spence structure opened in 1963 and now handles 160,000 vehicles daily, including 43 million tons of truck freight. Engineering assessments confirm the bridge operates at double its original safe design capacity. The aging concrete and steel framework cannot sustain current load volumes without accelerated deterioration, creating a persistent risk for commercial carriers navigating the crossing.
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