The 4th Street Bridge may shine in changing colors above the Licking River, after Newport approved its share of funding for new programmable lighting.
The Newport Commission held a first reading on March 16 to approve a payment of $112,500 to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for the city’s share of the multi-color programmable aesthetic lighting to be installed on the new 4th Street Bridge, which connects Newport and Covington over the Licking River.
The 4th Street Bridge was demolished on March 2. It will be replaced by a new three-arch bridge, scheduled to open sometime in the fall of 2028, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
“Both cities expressed interest in this early last year; we felt it was a great opportunity to take advantage of and create a focal point in Northern Kentucky on this new bridge,” Newport Assistant City Manager Brian Steffen said. “So we all felt very excited about that.”
The city said the lighting will enhance the bridge’s appearance and be programmable in colors for holidays and community events.
“If you look across the region, the Roebling has always been lit, it’s very simple but it’s also decorative and adds to the community,” said Newport Mayor Tom Guidugli Jr. “I think that the opportunity of this bridge being the first one to have color and possibly movement, which is the new trend in bridges, that you have the color and it actually moves, is very cool.”
The city also approved a joint agreement with the transportation cabinet and the city of Covington regarding maintenance of lighting improvements. Under the agreement, Newport and Covington will share responsibility for maintaining the lighting systems and operating the programmable lighting. A third separate agreement between the two cities will be entered regarding the operation and maintenance of the equipment.
Future maintenance and operational costs will be shared between the two cities.
Steffen said this type of equipment has a roughly 20-year life cycle. Based on that, the city would anticipate some equipment replacement or upgrades over that period, which it would budget for between Newport and Covington. Steffen said they anticipate somewhere in the $40,000 range.
“This is an opportunity, as we look at our riverfront and the work that we’re doing, to truly give a product of generational change that people in Newport and the region will be proud of for many, many years to come,” said Newport Commissioner Mike Radwanski.