PROJECT UPDATES
The purpose of the project is to provide a safe, modern, efficient and multimodal crossing of the Licking River within the existing corridor for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians.

Overview of the 4 Project Needs
Functionally Obsolete Multimodal Connection
The KY 8 Licking River Bridge is a vital multi-modal connection between Covington and Newport. Even with recent changes in daily commuting and travel patterns, this historic bridge carries a growing number of vehicles as well as a significant amount of pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Due to the narrow shoulder widths (one-foot), which do not meet current design standards, the bridge is considered “functionally obsolete.”
Weight Limit Restrictions
Even after the bridge was rehabilitated in 2020, it cannot accommodate vehicles weighing more than 17 tons. Nearly all of KY 8 within Kenton and Campbell Counties can accommodate weights up to 40 tons, thereby making the bridge weight limit substandard.
Public Transit Inefficiency
Currently, the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky does not operate local or express routes across the KY 8 Licking River Bridge due to the reduced weight restrictions.
Bicycle Traffic Safety
The addition of a shared-use bridge for cyclists and motor vehicles would improve connectivity and safety by creating a designated lane for non-motorized travel. Eventually, a project goal is to connect the sidewalks with the Licking River Greenway Trail for recreation and commuter use.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is currently studying various options for improving this aging structure that carries more than twice its intended daily capacity via 4th Street.
Construction Alternatives
1. Construct new bridge to carry eastbound traffic. Rehabilitate existing bridge and reconfigure to carry only westbound traffic
2. Construct new single structure in phases
3. Construct new twin structure in phases