Planners look to pick I-69 Ohio River bridge route next year

(AP) Indiana and Kentucky officials say they hope to identify next year the best route for an Interstate 69 bridge over the Ohio River near Evansville.

State and local leaders marked the opening of project offices last week week in Evansville, Indiana, and Henderson, Kentucky, a year after the states signed an agreement to begin preliminary work toward building the bridge.

 Kentucky project manager Marshall Carrier said a short list of possible routes should be ready by the end of July. The cost has been estimated between $850 million and $1.4 billion.

Both states have extended their sections of I-69, but traffic must use the existing U.S. 41 bridge to cross the river.