The Brent Spence Project is looking to close a portion of the Riverfront Commons to make way for construction, and safety was on the minds of Covington (and some non-Covington) residents this week as the city voted to accept the project’s commitment to minimize harm during the closure.
The commission voted unanimously Tuesday to essentially affirm the corridor project’s commitment to cause as little damage to the trails and the surrounding area as possible during the relevant construction.
“We share the same hopes as everyone else in the city to have sturdy, safe and accessible pathways, however temporary, that keeps our community connected to the heart of Covington,” said Botany Hills resident Lisa Murray during the commission meeting’s public comment section.
Murray was one of several speakers who expressed sentiments for safety and accessibility in the face of the closure.
The Riverfront Commons is a 20-mile trail network, currently at various stages of construction, that connects the main river cities in the region, namely Covington, Bromley, Ludlow, Newport, Bellevue, Dayton, Fort Thomas and Silver Grove.
About 1.25 miles of the trail is already finished and open in Covington along Highway Avenue and the Ohio River levee from the end of the Ohio River floodwall near Swain Court to just east of the Roebling Bridge at Riverside Place. The city manages the part of the trail that falls within the corridor project’s construction area.
A letter from the U.S. Department of Transportation lays out the work in more detail:
“To facilitate safe construction of a new companion bridge and the rehabilitation of the existing [bridge], approximately 0.8 miles of the Riverfront Commons Trail will be temporarily closed or detoured during periods of highway and bridge construction. Based on safety concerns shared by the City of Covington, this also includes closure of access to the area east of the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, starting near the intersection of West 2nd Street and Main Street, to approximately 150 feet west of Covington Plaza.”
The section of trail is expected to be closed for about 5 years starting this summer, according to the letter, and a one-mile trail detour will be set up along Rivercenter Boulevard, West 3rd Street and Highway/Crescent Avenue.
The constructed section of the Riverwalk in Covington from Scribble Art Park/ Clay Wade Bailey Bridge Trailhead to Covington Plaza (Phase 1 and 2). Map provided by Southbank Partners 
The constructed section of the Riverwalk in Covington from Swain Ct to Scribble Art Park/ Clay Wade Bailey Bridge Trailhead (Phase 3). Map provided by Southbank Partners
Botany Hills residents will be especially affected by the closure, Murray said, since many of the neighborhood homes are on the opposite side of the street from the trails.
“The Riverfront Commons trail is not just a leisurely walking path for us; it’s a lifeline,” Murray said. “It’s how residents get to work, meet friends, run errands, visit family and experience the city we love. This construction is expected to last at least five years, and [with] the uncertainty of future funding, there’s no guarantee planned improvements won’t be delayed or be de-prioritized. That’s why it’s critical the temporary detour is safe, accessible and thoughtfully designed from the very beginning.”
The Botany Hills Neighborhood Association has advocated installing a new cross walk and trail entrance on the Y-junction of Highway Avenue where Spring Street and Wright Street meet, among other measures. The trails’ North Entrance has no egress point, Murray said, so the addition of another entrance would make the trails more accessible for local residents.
The association submitted their recommendations (which you can read at the bottom of their events webpage) to both the corridor project and the city during the detour project’s public comment section.
Stacee Hans of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said that area where the crosswalk might go would not fall under the project’s footprint, although she was aware of the neighborhood’s concerns and was willing to work with them to find alternatives.
“Unfortunately, that is not something that we will be able to undertake with our project, but [we’re] willing to work with the neighborhood association to see what opportunities we do have there,” Hans said.
President and CEO of Southbank Partners, which heads up the Riverfront Commons project, expressed a commitment for minimized harm during the closure. He described Southbank Partners’ own desire to make the closure as safe and pleasant as possible.
“Our public comment period was to go through each exhibit and express our input to ensure that we would minimize any harm, any of the impacts through this rather long, temporary time,” Weber said.