Brent Spence Bridge

Ohio and Kentucky officials share updates on the project and we talk with a group that wants officials to rethink the design.

The group Bridge Forward says now that funding concerns are a lot lighter, it's time to consider their alternative design.

Both Democratic and Republican elected officials struck a tone of partnership in remarks made in front of the Brent Spence Bridge, which is getting more than $1 billion in funding for a revamp of the 60-year-old span.

The grant to the Ohio Department of Transportation and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is 98.5% of the funds the states requested for the project to build a companion bridge next to the Brent Spence.

The ramp was created to fix traffic issues on NB I-71/75 in Covington near the Brent Spence Bridge which, often led to congestion and wrecks on the highway.

Kentucky and Ohio transportation officials held a series of public input sessions to get feedback on ongoing design work. You can still weigh in online through Jan. 5, 2023.

Starting Thursday, Dec. 1, the W. 4th St. entrance onto the highway will close permanently to make way for the new "Texas Turnaround" entrance further south on Pike St.

City officials and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber asked the Ohio Department of Transportation to make changes to the design to reclaim more land, improve green space and pedestrian/bicyclist safety, and keep a "city feel."

The Brent Spence Bridge will someday get a companion — but how will this additional span impact both sides of the Ohio River?

The new plan would have through-traffic on the new bridge, and local traffic on the existing I-71/75 bridge.