COVINGTON, Ky. — Covington leaders are emphasizing the need for government funding for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project amid the Trump Administration's federal funding freeze.
A federal judge temporarily halted enforcement of Trump's freeze until Monday, Feb. 3. The Trump Administration announced Wednesday afternoon that it was rescinding its funding freeze memo.
The multi-billion-dollar transportation project has three components: the construction of a new bridge along the I-71/I-75 corridor, improvements to the existing bridge and improvements along eight miles approaching both sides of the Ohio River.
The design for the project has been underway since 2005.
According to a press release from the City of Covington, the most recent cost estimates were at least $3.6 billion, with the federal government allocating $1.6 billion of that in January 2023.
“As a route for $2 billion in goods a day and many thousands of workers’ commutes, the Brent Spence Bridge’s impact on local, regional and national commerce cannot be overestimated,” said Covington Mayor Ron Washington in a press release.
The mayor and others have had conversations with high-ranking staff from the offices of Kentucky Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul and U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, as well as the office of Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno. They’ve also talked with leaders at the OKI Regional Council of Governments and regional business groups.
According to the City of Covington, any delay would raise the project's construction cost. Even a conservative 1 percent escalation due to a 90-day pause could translate to an increase of $36 million-plus on this project alone.
“Covington was instrumental in right-sizing the project to mitigate the impact on the region, in pushing federal officials to forgo tolls as a funding mechanism, and in fighting for amenities like nearby bike paths and aesthetic improvements like lighting and sound barriers,” Washington said in a news release. “Given what’s at stake here, I assure our businesses and residents that we will continue to be vocal in moving the project toward the construction phase, and our federal partners share our cautious optimism.”
The City of Covington said that the Brent Spence Bridge's daily traffic counts double its original 80,000-vehicle-a-day capacity.
You can find more details about the project in the video below.
