It’s the end of an era.
After nearly 100 years of operation, the 4th Street Bridge, known officially as the KY-8 Bridge, will be torn down by April and replaced with a new three-arch design bridge that is scheduled to open up sometime in the fall of 2028, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
The current bridge will close to all traffic Monday at 9 a.m. What does that mean for Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati area residents who rely on the bridge to get around?
What to do during the closure
The current bridge connects Covington and Newport across the Licking River. The Transportation Cabinet’s most recent traffic counts put the average daily vehicle traffic at 11,608. The most recent measures were taken in 2022. About 700 pedestrians also rely on the bridge to traverse the river every day, according to an analysis from the Ohio, Kentucky Indiana Regional Council of Governments, or OKI.
“The complete closure of the bridge crossing will ensure pedestrians and bicyclists are not located near an active work zone,” KYTC Chief District Engineer Bob Yeager said in a press release. “Additionally closing the bridge is expected to save approximately one year off the construction timeline. Expediting the reopening of this vital bridge crossing is a priority.”
So what can those people expect for Monday’s closure?
“Digital message board signs will be located on both sides of the bridge to warn motorists of the upcoming closure,” according to the Cabinet announcement about the closure. “Following the closure, the intersection of 4th and Garrard Streets will become an all stop condition. Motorists should expect flashing red lights with stop signs at this intersection.”
Drivers will need to detour onto the Girl Scout Bridge, also known as the 12th Street Bridge, on which the Transportation Cabinet recently added two bike lanes to help head off the traffic problems the 4th Street closure may cause. The most recent average daily traffic count KYTC performed put the average daily traffic on 12th Street in Covington at 11,932 vehicles.
Consult the map below for information on the detour routes.
What about people who rely on public transit?
The Transportation Authority of Northern Kentucky, or TANK, will provide a free shuttle service for transit users beginning Monday at 7 a.m., two hours before the bridge is scheduled to close.
“This service will focus on providing a connection to basic and essential needs for these commuters – like daycare, employment and groceries,” according to the Transportation Cabinet. “The shuttle vehicle will feature an installed bike rack to encourage first and last-mile mobility connections for riders. The bus will also provide wheelchair accessibility.”
The route will operate seven days a week, but the hours will be different on weekdays and weekends. The shuttle will operate from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends. A complete loop of the route is expected to take about 30 minutes, according to the Transportation Cabinet.
The loop will include stops at the following locations in Newport:
- Central Avenue at 10th Street
- Central Avenue at 8th Street
- Isabella Street at 6th Street
- Isabella Street at 9th Street
The loop will include stops at the following locations in Covington:
- Greenup Street at 9th Street
- Greenup Street at 5th Street
- Scott Street at 6th Street
- Scott Street at 11th Street
You can find a map of the shuttle loop below.
What about the new bridge?
The current bridge was built in 1936 and has been deemed “functionally obsolete” by the cabinet, which essentially means that it’s capable of handling some traffic but is not built to modern standards. This is true not only in terms of materials’ quality but also in terms of accessibility – the old, narrow sidewalks, for instance, present challenges for people who use wheel chairs and have other mobility limitations.
The final design for the replacement bridge, announced late 2023, is a four-lane bridge with three arches and two 12-foot wide shared-use paths for walking and cycling on either side.
The Cabinet indicated the shared-use paths will make the bridge an American with Disabilities Act compliant structure. Below the bridge deck, concrete piers will support the structure while framing the river itself.
The bridge itself will expand to carry four lanes of vehicle traffic, but KYTC officials said the number of lanes continuing to 4th Street into Covington will stay at two lanes. The bridge’s shared-use paths will also connect with a dedicated bike lane already created on 4th Street.
KYTC has not yet determined a final price tag for the bridge, which will be dependent on further design refinement done by the design-build team.
You can find more information about the project, its timeline, alternative routes and FAQs at ky8bridge.org.
Felicia Jordan and Andrew Rowan of WCPO contributed reporting to this story.