How much did Brent Spence Bridge cost to build?
The original Brent Spence Bridge is the two-level steel cantilever truss carrying Interstates 71 and 75 across the Ohio River between Covington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio. Construction was underway in 1961 and the bridge opened on 25 November 1963 with three traffic lanes on each deck. A contemporary postcard described its original construction as a $10 million project; that historical rounded figure does not cover subsequent repairs, the new companion bridge or the wider Brent Spence Bridge Corridor program. A transportation-agency study distinguishes the roughly 2,951-foot full bridge from its 1,736.5-foot main truss spans and approximately 831-foot longest span. The original bridge remains in service while a separate companion crossing is developed.
Reported project cost
$10 million
Cost basis: 1963
Cost evidence
Basis of the published figure
Project metrics
Key dimensions
- Total lengthKentucky Transportation Cabinet and Ohio DOT, 2006 Purpose and Need Statement
- 899.4648 m
- Main spanKentucky Transportation Cabinet and Ohio DOT, 2006 Purpose and Need Statement
- 253.2888 m
Project record
Timeline
1961
Construction started
Ohio and Kentucky Brent Spence Bridge Corridor, August 2025 historical newsletter