Interstate 69 in Indiana
The original plan (in a DEIS prepared by INDOT in 2004, but later dropped) was for I-69 to leave the now-former I-164 alignment somewhere just east of Green River Road (exit 3) and head south (instead of turning west with I-164) for approximately before crossing the Ohio at a point near the mouth of the Green River. This portion of the route had not then been funded, as construction of the new Ohio River crossing and its approaches in both states was expected to cost approximately $800 million. Indiana and Kentucky officials had said construction on the new Ohio River Bridge would not begin until at least 2020, after two new crossings near Louisville were completed. With Indiana then preparing to break ground on SIU 3, Kentucky officials indicated that collecting tolls might be the only feasible option for completing the I-69 bridge, as traditional federal and state funding for such projects were drying up. , neither Kentucky nor Indiana officials had yet come up with the money to plan and construct this I-69 bridge.
Interstate 69
, SIU 1 (all of original I-69 north of Indianapolis) and SIU 2 (which will likely use I-465 around Indianapolis, but is as yet unsigned) are open, as is SIU 5 in Kentucky, the short SIU 10 in northwestern Mississippi, and part of SIU 9 in the Memphis, Tennessee area. SIU 6 in Kentucky is built as a freeway, but not yet up to Interstate standards in all areas. On June 6, 2008, President George W. Bush signed HR 1195, designating the Purchase Parkway as Future I-69. Kentucky officials planned to place I-69 signs on the Pennyrile Parkway, Western Kentucky Parkway and Purchase Parkway in 2008, but the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has not yet given Kentucky approval to do so for the entire route. Kentucky has been making spot improvements to its parkways to bring them up to interstate standards in anticipation of the I-69 designation. Indiana examined building most of SIU 3 as a toll road, but quickly reverted to making it toll-free in 2006 with an announcement to that effect by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels after widespread opposition from I-69 opponents and supporters alike. Indiana has been using funds from the $3.8 billion Indiana Toll Road lease deal along with public-private partnerships to construct SIU 3 between Indianapolis and Evansville.