Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project interrupted Interstate 75 traffic with work on the Ohio side of the river last month.
This month, Covington will see interruptions. They will last longer and some will be permanent.
With all eyes on the bridge project – following a groundbreaking event on May 7 – here’s what to expect on the south side of the Ohio River in coming weeks and months.
Good news, bad news for Covington traffic
The good news: You will still be able to get to Covington from the interstate (called I-71/75 through Northern Kentucky), according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
The bad news: Two ramps will close this month, with one reopening in October and the other by summer 2027.
And maybe worse news: The West Fifth Street ramp from southbound I-71/75, that takes drivers east into Covington, will close for good around May 26. So will West Fifth Street from Crescent Avenue to the off-ramp from I-71/75.
Ditto for Covington’s Texas Turnaround, which will close for good in October. Installed in 2022 at a cost of $8.8 million, it loops vehicles from westbound Fourth Street to northbound I-75.
But back to good news: “At the end of the project, there will be the same number of exits to/from Covington as prior to the project,” transportation cabinet spokesperson Jake Ryle told The Enquirer.
Covington closures ‘needed to advance construction’
Ramp closures and detours come just after the official kickoff of the $4 billion-plus Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project. The work, which will extend into 2033, will include reconfiguring the Brent Spence into a local-access span with fewer lanes; building a new double-decker bridge for interstate travel to its immediate west; and improving about 8 miles of I-71/75.
The closures in Covington “are needed to safely advance construction,” Kentucky officials said in a press release.
Here’s what is soon to happen in Northern Kentucky’s largest city.
No. 1: Part of Exit 192 closing for good
On or after May 26, the West Fifth split off exit 192 that sends vehicles east into Covington will close permanently. West Fifth between Crescent and the offramp at northbound I-71/75 and Fifth will close at the same time.
Exit 192, southbound to Crescent, will remain open, and provide a path to eastbound West Third.
Toward the end of the overall bridge project, the state will open a new southbound exit off-ramp from the left lane of Brent Spence to West Fifth. Once constructed, the existing southbound off-ramp (to Crescent Avenue) will be closed and demolished.
No. 2: Limits to 12th Street, heading south
From May 20 to October, the on-ramp to southbound I-71/75 from Bullock Avenue will be closed between Pike Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. That will cut off access to 12th Street.
During the Bullock closure, Simon Kenton Way will be remade as a two-way street.
To travel south on I-71/75 from that area, drivers should use Pike Street to Kyles Lane. To reach West 12th, they should travel on Pike to Hermes Avenue.
No. 3: Limits to 12th Street, heading north
From May 20 to the summer of 2027, exit 191 from northbound I-71/75 will be closed for reconstruction. That provides access to 12th/Martin Luther King and Pike.
To detour, vehicles will exit at Fifth Street from northbound I-71/75 and follow signs to wind south to pick up Martin Luther King.
No. 4: Goodbye to the Texas Turnaround
Kentucky installed that route to provide access to northbound I-71/75 from Covington’s Fourth Street.
It routed drivers about 1,800 feet south of Fourth to enter the interstate, giving them more time to cross into lanes to continue north.
“The Texas Turnaround was always meant to be a temporary fix to provide safety improvements until the corridor project could be completed,” said Ryle, the transportation spokesperson.
When the turnaround is closed, the state will reopen the Fourth Street entrance, with a dedicated lane on the ramp to enter the bridge.
City working with state on needed detours
Covington City Manager Sharmili Reddy called the coming traffic restrictions “challenging.”
“We understand that changes to ramp access can be challenging, but we appreciate the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s commitment to maintaining at least one open ramp into Covington in each direction throughout this project,” Reddy said via email.
Continued access is critical to Covington residents, businesses and visitors, Reddy said.
“Covington remains open for business,” she said, asking for support of the city’s restaurants, shops and services.
More info, more visuals on bridge website
To learn more about the planned changes and the overall project, visit the Brent Spence Bridge website and its Virtual Project Room.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Giant new bridge means closed exits, no more ‘Texas turnaround’
Reporting by Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
