RESOLUTION R-03-2011

 

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF FORT THOMAS, KENTUCKY, EXPRESSING FORT THOMAS COUNCIL’S SUPPORT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FEDERAL FUNDING MECHANISM TO SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW INTERSTATE BRIDGE ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER

 

 

 

            WHEREAS, The Brent Spence Bridge (“the bridge”) carries Interstates 71 and 75 across the Ohio River between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky.

 

WHEREAS, the bridge connects two of the busiest truck and commuter routes in the nation and provides key routes for commercial transportation between the northern tip of Michigan and the southern end of Florida and serve as a major connector to Chicago and the ports of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New Orleans; and

 

            WHEREAS, the bridge carries 160,000 vehicles daily despite the fact that it was originally constructed to only accommodate only 80,000 vehicles daily and current projections estimate the bridge will carry upwards of 200,000 vehicles by 2030; and

 

            WHEREAS, nearly four percent of the nation’s gross domestic product crosses the bridge annually -- including goods manufactured in a number of cities and counties along the I-71/I-75 corridor in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida -- creating a nationally significant infrastructure corridor that is critical to the national economy; and

 

            WHEREAS, the bridge is considered the seventh most congested bridge in the country due to traffic clogging and accidents that average one crash every three days, thus negatively impacting commerce through congestion delays that cost shippers more than $680 million annually, or an annual cost of $25,000 per truck that crosses the bridge; and

 

            WHEREAS, the investment of $2 billion to $3 billion to build an new interstate bridge across the Ohio River would result in a total projected benefit to shippers, manufacturers, and travelers of nearly $20 million and the creation of approximately 83,000 permanent jobs and a congestion cost savings of approximately $750 million annually and $1.3 billion by 2030.

 

            BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Fort Thomas:

 

            Section 1:  That Council hereby requests that, in partnership with other cities and counties along the I-71/I-75 corridor and in spirit of national economic cooperation, that the United States Congress create a funding mechanism for this project of national significance, which will positively impact the safety and economic viability of 60 Congressional districts, millions of travelers, and thousands of shippers and manufacturers. 

 

           

ADOPTED by the Mayor and City Council this 21st day of March, 2011.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                    ___________________________

                                                                                     Mayor Mary Brown

 

 

 

THIS IS TO CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was adopted by the City Council in a public meeting assembled on the 21st day of March, 2011.