LOUISVILLE - Gov. Mitch Daniels has ordered the Sherman-Minton bridge that carries Interstate 64 between New Albany, Ind., and Louisville, Ky., closed indefinitely after the discovery of a critical crack in the structure.
State officials asked drivers Friday to begin using Interstate 65 and Interstate 265 as alternate routes. The Interstate 65 bridge crosses the Ohio River in downtown Louisville.
Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman Will Wingfield said the bridge was first built in 1961 and has been in operation since 1962. He did not know how long the bridge would be shut down.
Officials from Indiana and Kentucky first discovered the crack Thursday and engineers recommended closing the bridge. Daniels ordered the bridge closed Friday after consulting with both states' transportation officials and the Federal Highway Administration.
(Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)