A study of the Milton-Madison Bridge Project will look at its economic impact, for better or worse.

In this case, "better" includes the money that would be spent on replacing the bridge's superstructure.  "Worse" would be the losses due to the bridge being closed for a year.

The consulting firm Wilbur Smith Associates will conduct interviews with business owners in Jefferson County, Indiana and Trimble and Carroll counties in Kentucky.  The sixty businesses will provide information about their customers who use the bridge and how much money they would expect to lose when it is closed. 

A computer program will calculate how much those businesses could lose with the bridge remaining closed for a year.

Economists will also look at the money that construction is expected to bring into the local economy.  The project is expected to bring in over 1400 jobs, which may help offset local merchants' losses.

Kentucky and Indiana are asking for $95 million in federal money to help replace the bridge's superstructure.  The entire project is expected to cost $131 million.