The City of Covington has received a federal grant of $4.1 million to make improvements on Winston Avenue in Latonia. Mayor Ron Washington announced receiving the grant at this week’s meeting of the Board of Commissioners.
“This grant is a significant investment in Latonia and an important step toward making Winston Avenue safer for all residents,” Washington said.
Winston Avenue is part of KY-16, a state route. The affected area runs from the five-street intersection at Ritte’s Corner to 43rd Street. The money comes from a federal program called the Surface Transportation Block Grant, which is administered locally by the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, or OKI.
The work will improve both the road itself and pedestrian infrastructure in the affected area, including the construction of a shared-use path for pedestrians, drivers and cyclists. The city puts the total cost of the work at $5.1 million, meaning the city will need to make up the remaining $1 million cost out of its own coffers.
The city acknowledged that additional work still needs to be completed south of 43rd Street on KY-16. Under the current federal funding schedule, construction dollars will not become available for approximately three years, and the city will likely seek other funding avenues to continue the work.
