NEWPORT, Ky. — The Purple People Bridge is still closed after chunks of sandstone fell from the bridge pier on Sunday.
Because it is a privately owned bridge, the owners say they don't have enough money to fix and maintain it. Conversations are happening to determine what needs to be done for the bridge to not only reopen but remain open.
"It's a costly endeavor and the bridge company doesn’t have the funds to continue to do the preventative maintenance necessary for something like this," said Will Weber, president of the Purple People Bridge Company.
Weber said they're going to need help with funding.
"I plan to sit down with both the City of Newport and City of Cincinnati, explain the situation and look at how we can remediate the situation,” he said.
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Council member Mark Jeffreys said he wants to know more about the bridge before he supports spending taxpayers' money on it.
“I think we need to take a step back — OK, who owns this asset? Who manages it? How much money is involved with the upkeep? And figure out the right model going forward," Jeffreys said.
He wants to know how much it will cost to reopen the bridge and the cost of maintaining it.
"We have our own set of deferred maintenance as a city, so we're not eager to take on more,” Jeffreys said.
Newport commissioner Ken Rechtin said if the private owners are unable to fund it, the bridge becomes Newport’s responsibility and liability.
He said the bridge — all the way to the north side of the Ohio River — is Newport's. However, he said it's vital to entertainment and tourism on both sides of the river.
“I argue that we've got to find a way to cooperatively get the asset designated as a regional asset, and we all participate," Rechtin said.
He said that includes Cincinnati and Newport, as well as Hamilton and Campbell counties.
"We can help to facilitate some of these conversations and work collaboratively because it is a regional asset," Jeffreys said.
Owners of the bridge said there should be more updates on the recommended repairs and how much that would cost in the coming days.
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