This has been years in the making, with several roadblocks, including money. According to officials, the total cost was somewhat less than $2 million. The main span is made of pre-stressed concrete and rests on top of a box beam that carries two lanes of traffic. The blue bridge connects downtown Louisville to West Louisville. It is one of only two bridges over the Ohio River that are not owned by either city or state (the other being the Henry Clay Bridge). The idea for a new bridge across the Ohio River from downtown to west Louisville was first proposed in the 1950s. At that time, there were plans to build a series of bridges as part of an expansion of I-65. But the proposal was rejected due to lack of support from local governments and citizens. In 1992, Mayor David L. Armstrong announced that the city would fund half of the project's cost - $750,000. But the state government refused to pay for the rest of the price tag. In fact, they refused to even discuss it until after the mayor put up his own money. Finally, in October of 2000, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet agreed to contribute $250,000 toward the project.