Functionally Obsolete Multimodal Connection

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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.”

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Weight Limit Restrictions

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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.

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Public Transit Inefficiency

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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.

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Bicycle Traffic Safety

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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.