Hoosier tourism aims to 'beat the squeeze' on I-65

Southern Indiana tourism officials are taking some novel steps to offset what they say may be misconceptions that the Ohio River Bridges Project is posing inconveniences for travelers to the area.

The Clark-Floyd Counties Convention & Tourism Bureau is joining the town of Clarksville and the city of Jeffersonville in launching an effort called "Beat the Squeeze," a campaign officials say is intended to show that Southern Indiana is open for business during the bridge construction.

Officials sent out a press release Monday announcing the campaign — in the form of a plastic container with two lemons and a lemon squeezer inside, along with a package of sugar with the news release written on the back.

"Except for morning and afternoon rush hours, Southern Indiana is wide open noon, nights and weekends," the officials said. Those times, they added, jibe with "the very hours most dining and shopping visits from Louisvillians typically occur."

The "Big Squeeze" is a name that has been given for a lane-restricted, 1.5-mile stretch of Interstate-65 from the Kennedy Bridge to Brown's Station Way in Southern Indiana. Since last September, I-65 in both directions has been reduced from three to two lanes of traffic. The lane restrictions are expected to remain until late 2016, or until about the time the new downtown bridge is expected to open.

"Retail and hospitality businesses along the I-65 corridor have reported a corresponding shift in their business mix and a related loss in sales," the news release said.

Jim Epperson, the Clark-Floyd tourism bureau's executive director, said, "an urban myth has sprung up that construction has made it difficult to get in and out of Southern Indiana. The truth is — except for rush hour — travel times are virtually the same as pre-construction days, espcially at lunchtime, evenings and weekends."

Southern Indiana officials have cobbled together an initial $90,000 for the campaign. Epperson said the city of Jeffersonville, the town of Clarksville and the tourism bureau each put up $30,000.

It is expected to last at least through the end of the year and perhaps longer, if local businesses decide to provide additional funding. Marketing efforts will include billboards and a website, www.beatthesqueeze.org.

The Southern Indiana officials will have a promotional lemonade stand at the Hometown Tourist Celebration press conference, which will be held at noon Tuesday at 4th Street Live in downtown Louisville.

Reporter Sheldon S. Shafer can be reached at (502) 582-7089. Follow him on Twitter at @sheldonshafer.