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by Michael Monks
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The City of Covington expressed its gratitude Friday for the outpouring of support from surrounding communities, elected officials, and various civic organizations as it hopes to see changes implemented to the preferred design of the Brent Spence Bridge project. That design, noted as "Alternative I", currently inhibits access to Downtown Covington and several other key areas within the city, a proposal so serious that "the death of Covington" was predicted at multiple public forums. However, Covington's rallying cry has been heard and answered.
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“The citizens and businesses of Covington are most appreciative of the unprecedented level of support from a broad range of political, business, civic and other community leaders from the region for the City’s concerns and requests related to the proposed Alternative I plan for the Brent Spence Bridge project," Covington City Manager Larry Klein said in a news release. "It
seems nearly unanimous that good access to our City for current and future residents, businesses and visitors is recognized as critical to the success of our City.”
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The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet accepted public input on the matter through last Friday, May 25. The City had hosted multiple public forums to express concerns that the current preferred design of the long-awaited Brent Spence Bridge project does not offer direct access to Covington's Fifth Street exit when traveling northbound on Interstate 75, an important access route Covington's Downtown, riverfront, and Mainstrasse entertainment district. The plan, as it stands now, would require drivers to the Twelfth Street exit and then travel a new, one-way, local road through several traffic lights to reach those areas.
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Additionally, while access to Fifth Street (and Ninth Street) would be available for southbound drivers on Interstate 75, the decision point to make that exit would be located one mile north of the river near the Cincinnati Museum Center. If a driver were to miss that opportunity, the only chance to come to Covington would require exiting at Kyles Lane in Fort Wright. There would be no opportunity to exit into the City when it becomes visible to drivers.
Additionally, while access to Fifth Street (and Ninth Street) would be available for southbound drivers on Interstate 75, the decision point to make that exit would be located one mile north of the river near the Cincinnati Museum Center. If a driver were to miss that opportunity, the only chance to come to Covington would require exiting at Kyles Lane in Fort Wright. There would be no opportunity to exit into the City when it becomes visible to drivers.
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Also of concern was the elimination of access to Devou Park at Lewis Street and the effect the project may have on Goebel Park in Mainstrasse. Joining the Covington City Commission in publicly voicing support for the city's hoped-for changes in this bridge battle were United States Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, United States Congressman Geoff Davis, the Kenton County fiscal court, the City of Newport, the City of Ludlow, Taylor Mill Mayor Dan Bell, the City of Bellevue, the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK), the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission, the Northern Kentucky Area Development District, the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, the Tri-County Economic Development Corporation (Tri-Ed), Vision 2015, the Covington Business Council, the Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau, Corporex, the Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter, the Behringer-Crawford Museum, the Kenton County Public Library, the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, and the Drees Pavillion in Devou Park.
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Also of concern was the elimination of access to Devou Park at Lewis Street and the effect the project may have on Goebel Park in Mainstrasse. Joining the Covington City Commission in publicly voicing support for the city's hoped-for changes in this bridge battle were United States Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, United States Congressman Geoff Davis, the Kenton County fiscal court, the City of Newport, the City of Ludlow, Taylor Mill Mayor Dan Bell, the City of Bellevue, the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK), the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission, the Northern Kentucky Area Development District, the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, the Tri-County Economic Development Corporation (Tri-Ed), Vision 2015, the Covington Business Council, the Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau, Corporex, the Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter, the Behringer-Crawford Museum, the Kenton County Public Library, the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, and the Drees Pavillion in Devou Park.
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SEE EXCERPTS FROM THE LETTERS AND OFFICIAL RESOLUTIONS BELOW
