Newport commissioners have officially taken ownership of the Purple People Bridge over the Ohio River. At a regularly scheduled session Monday evening, commissioners approved a resolution accepting control from Southbank Partners.
Newport and the nonprofit economic development group were partners in the Purple People Bridge Company, which steered use of the span.
Newport Economic Development Coordinator John Willis says the plan is to keep it open to pedestrians and cyclists.
“We do know that there are some structural issues on the bridge. There’s currently temporary shoring towers that are just adding additional support over on the Cincinnati side of the bridge,” he says. “I can say that we’ve already worked to set up meetings with the city of Cincinnati’s engineering team. We’re working to get the funding in place to get those parts repaired.”
Technically speaking, anything north of the state line painted on the bridge is the responsibility of the city of Cincinnati. He says Newport will “take initiative” and contribute funding to repairs.
Willis says the Purple People Bridge is structurally sound and safe, and they want to keep it that way. Twice in the last five years, the bridge has been closed for extended periods for repairs.
He says the bridge still will be open to special events, and a part of Riverfest.
Willis says right now the plans don't include a fresh coat of purple paint.
“It costs about $2 million to paint the bridge. So there’s been a lot of ideas thrown around,” he says. “People have talked about putting LED lighting on the bridge and other things.” Willis says aesthetics are a concern, but structural fixes are the top priority.
He says Newport signed an agreement with a planning and urban design consultant. “They’re going to be helping us as we build this regional coalition, and try to rally support around the bridge.”
He says an estimated 700,000 people use the bridge each year.
It was built in 1872, and was originally called the Newport & Cincinnati Bridge. It was renamed the Louisville & Nashville Bridge in 1904. Rail traffic continued until 1987.
In 2001, it was closed to automobile traffic, placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the state of Kentucky made plans for demolition. The city of Newport partnered with Southbank Partners to stabilize it with state funding.
After that, it became “a park with a purpose,” Willis says.
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