Construction is set to begin this summer on the new Fourth Street Bridge over Kentucky's Licking River, following the spring demolition of the 90-year-old structure that once connected Covington and Newport.
Originally built in 1936, the former bridge had reached the end of its lifespan, with narrow lanes, outdated pedestrian infrastructure and an inability to support Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK) buses. The span previously carried between 11,000 and 17,000 travelers daily.
Crews with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) are now preparing to build a modern replacement. The new arched bridge will feature two lanes in each direction and 12-foot shared-use paths on both sides to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.
KYTC had initially planned to keep the old bridge partially open for bike and foot traffic during construction, but safety concerns prompted a revision.
“The revised plan we’ve put in place now is to drop the existing bridge and then build in place with the existing alignment,” said Cory Wilson, project manager, in a statement. He said that the change will reduce the construction timeline by about a year.
During construction, vehicles will be rerouted primarily to the nearby Girl Scout Bridge. A free shuttle service—equipped for bicycles and wheelchairs—will help transport pedestrians between Covington and Newport.
The new bridge is expected to be completed in about two and a half years. KYTC chose the four-lane design to prepare for future traffic growth, despite some public calls for a smaller structure.
Source: Local12news.com, WVXU.org
