Staff report
When President Joe Biden and Senator Mitch McConnell make a rare joint appearance in Covington on Wednesday they will be welcomed by a grateful community eager to say thanks for the nearly $1.6 billion in infrastructure spending lawmakers approved on a bipartisan basis to help build an addition to the overworked Brent Spence Bridge.
The bridge is a heavily used freight route linking the Midwest and the South, part of a main north-south corridor for the traveling public, and a key link between Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati for commuters.
It has become a frustrating bottleneck on a key corridor and has long been a symbol of the nation’s growing infrastructure needs.
Built in the 1960s to carry about 80,000 vehicles a day, the bridge has seen double that traffic load on its narrow lanes, leading the Federal Highway Administration to declare it functionally obsolete.
The bridge has been at the top of the region’s wishlists for at least two decades and the announcement of the funding made last week was met with enthusiasm from officials and the public alike.
The planned project covering eight miles includes improvements to the bridge and construction of a companion span. Groundbreaking will happen this year and most of the work will be completed by 2029.
A project discussed for two decades in finally in sight.
Joining Biden and McConnell in heralding both the infrastructure improvement and the attendant jobs will be a bipartisan group of elected officials including Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, and Covington Mayor Joe Meyer.
Meyer’s fondest wish has been realized — there will be no tolls on the bridge.
The group will gather outdoors on the Covington downtown riverfront for Biden’s remarks.
The following are statements received by The NKyTribune after our story about funding was published. They are examples of how the region is reacting to the news — and a prelude to the welcome reception President Biden and other dignitaries can expect in Covington:
The City of Covington
“The City of Covington would like to thank President Biden, the members of our Congressional delegation who voted for the infrastructure bill, Gov. Beshear, our state legislators, Sec. Jim Gray and the rest of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and all others who had a hand in the announcement of funding for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project.
“Covington officials for years believed that the federal government had an obligation to fix a national highway crossing that was inadequate, unsafe, and prone to congestion. And we pushed back with staunch resistance and loud voices against those who wanted to put the financial burden on the local communities.
“We are thrilled to hear that federal and state money has been committed to the Brent Spence “fix,” negating the need for tolls. And we report with gratitude that Covington continues to have a seat at the table as critical decisions are being made on the size of the project and its impact on the surrounding community.”
Kentucky Senators Higdon, McDaniel and Thayer
The following is a statement from Senate Transportation Chair Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, Senate Budget Chair Chris McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, and Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, regarding the Brent Spence Bridge Project:
“We are pleased with the announcement that Kentucky will receive $1.6 billion in federal grant funding to assist in the completion of the Brent Spence Bridge companion bridge.
Sen. McDaniel
“This effort has been decades in the making and will serve as an economic boon for Kentucky. The bridge is a vital interstate artery connecting the robust and growing Northern Kentucky economic engine to other American commerce and industrial communities.
“The Kentucky General Assembly prioritized matching funds in the biennial road plan, which made this announcement possible. We remain committed to responsible budgeting and sound economic policies.
“Most notably, the Northern Kentucky Senate delegation has remained united for the past decade in opposition to tolls as a means of achieving this goal. We have worked together tirelessly along with federal partners to ensure funding was provided in a manner so that Kentucky residents would not bear the burden of tolls.”
Higdon, McDaniel and Thayer secured 250 million general fund dollars in the biennial state road plan to help make this federal grant funding possible.
OKI declares ‘magnificent day’
OKI President and Clermont County Commissioner David Painter and OKI CEO Mark Policinski responded to the announcement:
“This is an undeniably magnificent day for the entire region,” said David Painter, OKI President and Clermont County Commissioner. “We especially thank and congratulate Governors DeWine and Beshear on their successful joint efforts to procure essential funding for this much-needed transportation project. I am more optimistic than ever that the region will finally see the completion of this decades-in-the-making initiative.”
“The final piece of the puzzle is finally in place. The work of OKI, our governors and so many other individuals and groups has come to fruition and culminated in a historic $1.635 billion in funding,” said OKI CEO Mark Policinski. “The Cincinnati region will forever be in debt to Senator Rob Portman for his extraordinary work in negotiating the passage of the $1.2. trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill in the U.S. Senate. The beginning of construction next year marks the next phase of the long-awaited and much needed companion bridge, and we can’t wait for it to start. A new companion bridge and upgrades to the current bridge is no longer in question. It’s a reality and the entire region should be thrilled at the news.”
Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
“This is huge for our region and for the country. The Brent Spence Bridge corridor is a critical artery for the entire nation,” said NKyChamber President Brent Cooper. “The corridor really impacts the traffic for the rest of the region and we can’t grow like we could or should if we don’t improve this critical artery.
“We celebrate not only the upcoming investment in infrastructure but also a commitment to helping improve our economy and our collective quality of life.”
See the NKyTribune’s previous story announcing the funding.
See The NKyTribune’s story announcing President Biden’s visit.
Brent Spence Bridge(Photo form ODOT)
