Louisville, KY / Jeffersonville, IN
Completed in 2012
MAC Construction served as the general contractor for the rehabilitation of the I-65 Kennedy Bridge, a 3,470-foot six-lane through-truss structure spanning the Ohio River and carrying more than 136,000 vehicles per day between Kentucky and Indiana.
As one of the region’s most heavily traveled corridors, the bridge required significant superstructure repairs to address aging components and sustained traffic demands. The project demanded technical precision, disciplined phasing, and continuous coordination to restore structural integrity while maintaining uninterrupted daily traffic.
Impact & Purpose
The Kennedy Bridge is more than a river crossing, it’s a critical north–south connector for commuters, commercial transport, and regional commerce. The result was a strengthened transportation asset delivered without disruption to the traveling public.
This rehabilitation effort:
- Restored key structural components
- Extended the service life of the bridge
- Improved long-term safety and reliability
- Maintained continuous two-way traffic throughout construction
Project Scope
Work included comprehensive rehabilitation of the main bridge and ramp structures, including:
- Jacking and supporting the bridge under live traffic
- Replacement of 24 deteriorated structural steel stringers
- Bearing replacement and structural steel repairs
- Hydrodemolition and full/partial-depth deck repairs
- Replacement of full-width expansion joints
- Installation of a new concrete overlay riding surface
- MAC self-performed approximately 70% of the total project scope, executing more than 50,000 man-hours safely.
Technical Complexity
The Kennedy Bridge Rehabilitation required disciplined sequencing and precise execution under strict operational constraints. The project was completed within the required lane-restriction window and delivered on schedule despite evolving field conditions and design modifications.
Key complexities included:
- Bridge jacking and structural steel replacement performed under live traffic
- Phased construction maintaining continuous two-way traffic
- Compliance with a 30-day lane-restriction window carrying $50,000 per day liquidated damages
- Mid-project design revision from asphalt waterproofing system to concrete overlay
- Identification and remediation of unforeseen structural steel deterioration on the Indiana approach
- Coordination of multiple subcontractors and suppliers under high-visibility public conditions
- Safe execution of more than 50,000 man-hours
