The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6 has reduced the weight limit for vehicles traveling across the KY-8 Licking River Bridge, known more commonly as the 4th Street Bridge, which connects Newport and Covington. The new limit is 12 tons, a reduction from the previous limit of 17 tons. Additionally, traffic on the bridge has been reduced to a single lane. The bridge remains safe for pedestrian use.
A press release from the cabinet states that the change follows a recent inspection of the bridge, which revealed deteriorated steel in the bridge’s infrastructure. The cabinet’s engineers recommended the changes to prevent further deterioration while repairs were made. The sidewalks on both sides of the bridge will remain open.
“On Monday, May 6, KYTC will close the left lane of westbound traffic from the roundabout in Campbell County (mile point 0.26) to east of the intersection of KY-8 (Fourth Street) and Garrard Street (mile point 7.61),” according to the cabinet. “A single lane (right lane) of westbound traffic will be maintained. Eastbound traffic will shift into the closed westbound lane (middle lane). One lane of eastbound traffic will also be maintained.”
Broken out in a list, the closures look like this:
- The southernmost lane – which currently carries traffic eastbound from Covington to Newport – is closed.
- Eastbound traffic will now drive in the bridge’s middle lane.
- Westbound traffic will be reduced to a single lane and use the northernmost lane, (continuing on to what is Covington’s Fourth Street).
The reduced weight limit will prevent school buses from using the bridge, according to the cabinet. The previous 17-ton reduced weight limit prevented fire trucks, loaded garbage trucks, loaded tractor-trailers and Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky buses from using the bridge.
Vehicles exceeding the weight limit are advised to detour using the KY-1120 or 11th Street Bridge or find a different route.
The cabinet is currently assessing repair options, and the announcement did not share a timeline for restoring the previous weight limit.