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Is A Fix For The Roebling Bridge Coming Soon?

Bill Rinehart
/
WVXU
The historic Roebling Suspension Bridge usually carries about 8,000 vehicles and thousands of pedestrians a day.

Nearly two months after the Roebling Suspension Bridge was closed to traffic, transportation officials say hope is on the horizon. A plan to shore up safety issues until a long-term solution can begin is expected next week, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

The historic bridge linking Covington and Cincinnati was closed to vehicular traffic April 17, after pieces of sandstone fell from the north tower. The closure also affected the east side pedestrian walkway.

KTC spokeswoman Nancy Wood said at the time a contractor would be looking for ways to prevent rock pieces from falling, with an eye on bigger repairs already scheduled to start in 2020. A statement from Covington quotes Wood as saying KTC is accepting bids for repairs from contractors and "we anticipate providing an update by the end of next week."

Covington City Manager David Johnston says he realizes repairing a historic bridge isn’t easy, but "we've been reminding them every chance we get that the closure poses a substantial negative impact on our local businesses, especially those in the Roebling Point district."

The release from Covington says restaurants and retail shops have seen sales drop since the bridge closure.

Bill Rinehart started his radio career as a disc jockey in 1990. In 1994, he made the jump into journalism and has been reporting and delivering news on the radio ever since.