An engineer for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says work on the Brent Spence companion bridge is largely behind the scenes right now. Gary Valentine says the design stage continues because they want to get things right.
The plan is to construct a span to carry interstate traffic over the Ohio River. The current bridge will handle largely local traffic.
"We don't have a lot of $100 million projects, and you're talking a $3.6 billion project here altogether, with the state of Ohio," he says. "Just the design alone on this thing is in the $300-400 million range. That's a large effort. That really has to take place first to be able to get out there and do some significant work."
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Valentine says the "full mobilization" should start in the spring or summer of 2025, but other things could begin in 2024.
"Early work packages could be utility relocation. You could see that occurring. One thing this project builds also, is it extends Simon Kenton Way from where it ends at Pike Street today, to Fifth Street," Valentine says. "You may see that as an early work package."
Valentine says the Cabinet is still looking at building transparent noise walls along portions of the interstate. There's a pilot project along Crescent Avenue in Covington. He says best case scenario: work could start on that next year.
An update on the Fourth Street Bridge
Another Northern Kentucky bridge replacement project could also start in 2025. Valentine says a decision could be coming soon on the design of a replacement of the Fourth Street Bridge between Newport and Covington.
RELATED: Transparent noise barriers are coming to Covington
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet started gathering public input last year.
"I think the community fed back they'd like to see an iconic structure there. KYTC's committed to an iconic structure. There's been four options submitted to the two cities."
Valentine spoke to the Covington Business Council Thursday afternoon.
