- Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will distribute $750,000 over five years to assist Covington during major bridge construction.
- Funding supports the city’s “Bridging the Gap” program to keep residents informed and help local businesses stay accessible.
- Projects include the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor rebuild and the 4th Street Bridge replacement, which will restrict key entry points into the city.
With the construction of two major bridges set to impact the City of Covington for years to come, the Commonwealth of Kentucky is providing Northern Kentucky’s most populous city with some financial assistance.
On Thursday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will allocate $750,000 to Covington over the next five years to support local businesses and neighborhoods that will be impacted by the construction of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project and the 4th Street Bridge replacement project.
“These dollars will help make sure Kentuckians stay informed on progress and updates,” Beshear said. “They’ll ensure local businesses are still being promoted to ensure success, then they’ll invest in neighborhood improvements needed to strengthen connectivity with us.”
Covington Mayor Ron Washington said the allocation aligns with its ‘Bridging the Gap’ program, an initiative that aims to inform residents about the progress of both infrastructure projects.
“It ensures Covington’s families and business owners are not left behind as construction moves forward,” Washington said. “Over the next five years, these dollars will support our Bridging the Gap initiative–helping us keep people informed, strengthening access to local shops and restaurants and improving neighborhood connections during every phase of construction.”
Covington unveiled its Bridging the Gap program in the fall, with the goal of establishing an official, centralized portal to share important information about both projects with residents and stakeholders. The portal gives Covington officials, businesses and neighborhood associations an online location to receive updates and share feedback.
A sizable portion of Covington is bordered by Interstate-75 to the west and the Licking River to the east. Inside the area between I-75 and the Licking River lies Covington’s downtown and most of the city’s urban neighborhoods, each peppered with small businesses that are crucial to Covington’s economy. The most common ways to enter Covington by vehicle are by exiting off I-75 in the west or crossing over the 4th Street Bridge from Newport in the east.
With the scope of both construction projects expected to severely restrict or completely shut down two major roadway entrances into the city, many Covington residents and business owners have expressed concerns over how the project will adversely affect their lifestyles or livelihoods.
“These investments will reshape our region for decades, but we also know they bring real challenges to our residents, neighborhoods, and especially to our small businesses,” Washington said. “That’s why this funding matters.”
The 4th Street Bridge will close permanently in January 2026, with demolition planned for spring 2026, according to Covington’s website. Construction is projected to last through fall 2028, with the bridge reopening to traffic in summer 2028.
The Brent Spence Bridge is expected to remain open throughout the duration of the project. The project involves building a new companion bridge to carry I-71/I-75 traffic across the Ohio River, separating local from regional and national travel. Eight miles of roadway in Ohio and Kentucky will be widened and modified, including changes to ramp configurations.
For updates on both projects, people can visit brentspencebridgecorridor.com and ky8bridge.org.