Big Four Bridge

Yes, the Big Four Bridge was converted into a pedestrian and bicycle bridge, with the Louisville, Kentucky side opening to the public in 2013 and the Jeffersonville, Indiana ramp completed in 2014. It is now a popular recreational crossing with a pedestrian walkway and bike lanes, connecting Waterfront Park in Louisville to the Jeffersonville riverfront.

The bridge is named after the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway, which was commonly known as the Big Four Railroad. The bridge originally carried railroad traffic for this line across the Ohio River starting in 1895 before being abandoned and later repurposed as a pedestrian crossing.

The original Big Four Bridge was completed in 1895 for railroad use. The approach spans and ramps were removed in 1969 after the bridge was decommissioned, leaving the main truss spans sitting unused over the river for decades before the pedestrian conversion project began.

The total crossing distance over the Ohio River is approximately 5,000 feet, or roughly 0.9 miles one way, including the approach ramps on both sides. The main truss span over the river is about 2,500 feet long, with the remainder consisting of the ramp and approach structures.