March deadline set to fix closed Ohio River bridge

INDIANAPOLIS — The contractor hired to repair the closed Ohio River bridge linking southern Indiana and Louisville faces a March 2 deadline to complete the work and has a $100,000-a-day incentive to finish earlier.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels announced Tuesday the awarding of a $13.9 million contract to Louisville-based Hall Contracting for repairs to the Sherman Minton Bridge.

The nearly 50-year-old span was closed more than five weeks ago after a crack was found in a steel support beam. Inspectors found more cracks in the bridge, which carries Interstate 64 across the river.

Daniels says Indiana and Kentucky will each pay about $5.2 million toward the repairs, with the federal government paying about $3.4 million. The contractor is expected to fasten 3 million pounds of new steel to reinforce the double-decker bridge.