Sherman Minton Bridge

The Sherman Minton Bridge is a double-deck through arch bridge spanning the Ohio River, carrying I-64 and US 150 over the river between Kentucky and Indiana. The bridge connects the west side of Louisville, Kentucky to downtown New Albany, Indiana.

The bridge is a double-deck configuration—westbound traffic from Kentucky to Indiana travels on the upper deck of the bridge, while eastbound traffic from Indiana into Kentucky travels on the lower deck of the bridge. It is of similar construction to the Hernando de Soto Bridge in Memphis, Tennessee (with the primary difference being that the de Soto Bridge is single-deck).

The steel used was T1 steel, which in the early 1960s was "innovative material" but is much weaker than modern steel. Classification of the bridge is "fracture critical" because if one part of the bridge should fail, the entire bridge could be at risk.

In 1952 the Second Street Bridge was reaching peak traffic, and the K&I Bridge faring similarly. Arthur W. Grafton commissioned two studies in 1952 and 1953, with their results being a need for two bridges in Louisville; one crossing to Jeffersonville, Indiana, and the other to New Albany.

Hoosiers as far as Scottsburg, Indiana (30 miles (48 km) away) were vastly against making any bridges toll, and many residents of Louisville were against toll bridges as well. When the Interstate Highway System was announced by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the solution became clear. The Federal government would finance 90% of both bridges, with Indiana paying 10% of the New Albany bridge, and Kentucky paying 10% of the Jeffersonville bridge.

The New Albany bridge was given to Hazelet & Erdal, of Louisville to design in 1956. Construction began in June 1959. The lower deck was dedicated and opened on December 22, 1961, by Indiana Governor Matthew Welsh and Kentucky Governor Bert T. Combs. It was built at a cost of $14.8 million.

At the time it was dedicated, it was named the Louisville–New Albany Bridge. New Albany Mayor C. Pralle Erni suggested to Indiana State Senator Clifford H. Maschmeyer of Clarksville to name the new bridge for the former United States Senator and Supreme Court justice Sherman Minton. On April 4, 1962, Indiana governor Matthew E. Welsh made the formal announcement that it would be named for Minton, who was a native of New Albany.

The upper deck was completed on September 1, 1962, and opened that day at 11:00 AM without ceremonies. The American Institute of Steel Construction in 1961 named it the most beautiful long-span bridge of the year.