Contact:

Chuck Wolfe Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 502-564-3419 or Clair Nichols on behalf of Walsh DBT 502-584-0371 (office); 502-649-8956 (mobile)

DOWNTOWN BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION GETS UNDERWAY JULY 1

New bridge to open April 2016; Open house set for May 8 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 10, 2013) Construction of the new downtown bridge and the interstate approaches will begin July 1, and pre-construction work will be increasingly visible in the coming weeks, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and the construction contract partner, Walsh Design Build Team (DBT). The new bridge, which will run parallel and east of the current John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge connecting Louisville, Ky., and Jeffersonville, Ind., will open three years from this month eight months before the entire project is complete in December 2016. The bridge will initially carry both northbound and southbound traffic when it opens in April 2016 while Walsh DBT constructs a new deck on the Kennedy Bridge. When all work is complete on the Downtown Crossing, the new bridge will carry six lanes of northbound I-65 traffic and the Kennedy Bridge will be renovated to carry six lanes of southbound I-65 traffic. Walsh DBT and KYTC outlined the construction work ahead in 2013 at a media briefing today. The construction team also announced the first Downtown Crossing public open house is set for Wednesday, May 8, 2013, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Mellwood Art Center in Louisville. Pre-construction work, including surveys, test borings, building and signage removal and safety zone fencing installation, is already underway, said Arik Quam, Walsh DBT Project Manager, who shared the overall construction timeline. Residents affected by early pre-construction activities are being notified in advance. Pre-construction and construction activities that residents and commuters will see between now and July include: Installation of safety zone fencing around construction access areas at Waterfront Park and on the Indiana side of the Ohio River near the Kennedy bridge; Land and utility surveys;

Access road building, building demolition and signage removal near the safety zones; and Soil and rock coring.

Safety zone will maintain Waterfront Park connectivity Much of Waterfront Park, including the Great Lawn and Big Four Bridge, as well as the terrace lawn in Jeffersonville, will remain open for public use during construction. Sidewalks connecting Waterfront Park will remain open throughout construction of the largest project ever built in the Louisville and Jeffersonville area, enabling the thousands of people who enjoy the cities riverfront parks to continue using them for recreation and fitness, said Andy Barber, Project Manager for KYTC. KYTC is overseeing the Downtown Crossing portion of The Ohio River Bridges Project, while the Indiana Department of Transportation is overseeing the East End Crossing portion of the project. KYTC and Walsh DBT said they will work closely with major event planners whose activities might be affected by construction, including planners for Kentucky Derby Festival as well as other festivals, concerts and fundraising events, to find solutions to issues and concerns before they arise. They also plan continued meetings with emergency responders on both sides of the Ohio to ensure efficient communication. This mega-project will be built in three sections simultaneously the Kentucky approaches, the Indiana approaches and the bridge over the Ohio so that we can complete the project in just three and a half years, said Quam. The entire Downtown Crossing project includes more than 60 overpass and ramp bridges, 50,000 cubic yards of concrete, 442,000 tons of asphalt and nearly 16 million pounds of steel. Walsh DBT will keep two lanes of interstate traffic open in each direction throughout construction. The only planned ramp closure for 2013 is eastbound I-64 to southbound I-65. This ramp will close approximately July 1 and remain closed through mid-2016, Quam said. KYTC and Walsh DBT have established a task force to maintain traffic flow and minimize disruption to motorists. Information about 2013 lane and ramp closures and narrowings, as well as other construction impacts, will be posted in advance on nearby signage, on the project website, www.kyinbridges.com, in the media, and on Facebook and Twitter (@LouDntwnBridge). ### Note to media: The project website has a page where news media can download hi-res images and broadcast quality video: http://updates.kyinbridges.com/media/. About Walsh DBT: The Walsh Design Build Team is comprised of The Walsh Group (www.walshgroup.com), Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., and Milestone Construction Company, L.P. (www.milestonelp.com). Walsh is a Chicago-based general contracting, construction management, and design-build firm, recognized as one of the nations top 15 contractors and the second largest bridge builder. Jacobs (www.jacobs.com) is one of the worlds largest and most diverse providers of professional technical

services, which include scientific and specialty consulting as well as all aspects of engineering and construction, and operations and maintenance. Milestone, a part of the Indianapolis-based Heritage Group, is a fully integrated highway, heavy construction, and site-development general contractor, providing construction services primarily within the state of Indiana. About The Ohio River Bridges Project: The Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project is one of the largest transportation projects in the country, and will result in safer travel, less congestion and improved access to the regions destinations. The Project includes two Ohio River crossings: The Downtown Crossing that includes a new bridge between Louisville and Jeffersonville, and the East End Crossing, which will extend KY 841 (Gene Snyder Freeway) from the Prospect area of Kentucky over the river to SR 265 in the Utica area of Indiana. For more information, visit www.kyinbridges.com.