Let's put the bridge closure in perspective

For nearly half a century the bridge crossing the Ohio River between Louisville and New Albany has stood as a symbol representing our city.

This week in MY FRIDAY COLUMN I take a look at our community's first full week coping without the Sherman Minton Bridge.

LET'S PUT THE BRIDGE CLOSURE IN PERSPECTIVE 

 A week has gone by since the Sherman Minton Bridge was closed and now they are saying it is possible that it may not be open for quite some time. It was reported that it will take up to three weeks just to inspect the entire span and repair estimates range from a few weeks to six months to several years depending on the extent of the damage. There is a lot of speculation of what could happen but it is clear that nobody knows for sure.

The most important thing to consider is this is not the end of the world. While it may be the end of the world as we knew it, we will survive just by making a few changes in our everyday lives. The first few days commuter traffic has been better than I thought it would be with most people adapting nicely. I thought that there would be a lot more chaos caused by people that were using any means possible to get to where they were going, but so far cooler minds have prevailed. The question remains What will happen if this condition persist for weeks, months or even years?

Some business people in New Albany are concerned that a prolonged closure of the bridge might negatively impact their business. With traffic tie ups and some former access points now limited it is just another blow in an already tough economy. Now that driving to Kentucky is not as easy an option as it was before, it is time for people to consider what our local communities have to offer. You can get just about anything you need on the “Sunny Side” of Louisville, without the hassle of gridlock traffic standing in your way.

The news of the bridge closure had barely gotten out when members of the Ohio River Bridges Authority were basically telling us “I told you so”. The problem is that they do not understand the argument of their opponents basically because they refuse to listen. Most people that oppose their plan, those who “Say no to tolls”, aren't against cross river mobility, they are against a plan that has gotten so swollen it cannot be paid for. Most people agree that the East End Bridge is the only bridge that would have helped in our current situation, funneling more people through downtown Louisville is not the answer

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No one has proven to me that a new downtown bridge would do anything to help relieve congestion. It is unnecessary and nearly triples the cost of the entire project. In the years that have passed since the “record of decision” was formally adopted, our world has changed radically. It is time that The Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridges Authority consider other alternatives other than their two bridges, one project plan, whatever the cost. Especially if major repairs or even replacement of the Sherman Minton is called for.

Now that we have been put in a position as a community to come up with our own solutions maybe we can have some actual discussion about how best to spend our money on infrastructure projects. It is also time we take a look at options that may be out there that could help making getting across the river easier. There have been many “ideas” put out there on how to make the rush hour commute a little easier the range from the simple to the simply ridiculous. But I believe a few have merit.

A ferry service was started on Wednesday from downtown Jeffersonville to the wharf in Louisville. The Spirit of Jefferson will take passengers across the river for a two week trial period to see if there is enough interest to continue. Only a few passengers took advantage of the service on its first day of service and officials hope that more people will utilize it. Some people have said that it is not a viable solution because that most of the journey is actually getting to the river. Once you are there, you might as well just cross the Kennedy or Clark Memorial Bridges.

Some people have also suggested that the K & I Bridge be opened to traffic in order to alleviate some of the congestion. I was not even aware that the bridge that opened in 1886 was safe for travel until a local news helicopter spotted people using it to avoid traffic jams. It was later reported that those spotted crossing the bridge were railroad employees.

Norfolk Southern who owns the bridge has been reluctant in the past to discuss the possibility of reopening it, even to pedestrian traffic. They list safety, security and liability as their concerns of allowing traffic on the span that they still use strictly for a railroad bridge. I think local leaders should try to persuade Norfolk Southern to open up this alternative to help alleviate the congestion. I think this will be a great addition to the Ohio River Greenway Project and benefit this entire community for years to come.

Only time will tell how Southern Indiana will cope with the loss of the Sherman Minton bridge. I think we can use this crisis to pull together as a community and come out of this with a better grasp on what is really important. For far too long we have taken things for granted and when we lose those things some question whether we can survive. Surviving is the easy part, getting through rush hour traffic, that is going to be a little harder, for now.

Matthew Nash can be reached at dmatthewnash@gmail.com