Property agreement with Kenton County keeps parking while supporting economic development; state saves on construction costs.
Rendering of the Brent Spence Corridor Project.
(Covington, Ky.) – Governor Andy Beshear announced Wednesday a property agreement with Kenton County that will move forward the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project.
According to the governor, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will contribute $15 million toward the construction of a new underground parking garage serving the Kenton County Government Center, as the current parking area will be absorbed into the right-of-way of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project.
The new structure will create an area for future economic development opportunities. The state will also realize at least $15 million in construction cost savings from not having to replace the bridge that currently covers the existing parking lot.
The garage will replace parking spots beneath a blocks-long bridge on the elevated Interstate 71/75 highway in Covington. Employees of the Kenton County Government Center currently have about 160 parking spots beneath the interstate bridge between West Pike Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
A sizeable portion of the existing parking is needed for the $3.6 billion Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, which will include the construction of a companion bridge to share the traffic load currently borne by the Brent Spence Bridge.
“In Kentucky, we get the job done – and today we made progress on the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project,” Gov. Beshear said. “By relocating the Kenton County parking garage, we are freeing up an area needed for this crucial project and saving millions of dollars in the process because of less construction costs. This is a win-win for this community and all of Northern Kentucky.”
“This is a great example of value engineering,” Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray said. “Kenton County government needed parking space. The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project team needed to incorporate the existing county parking lot into right of way. We found an economical way to meet both needs. The cabinet’s agreement is with Kenton County, but it will benefit the larger community and will provide for pedestrians as well as motorists.”
The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project will span eight miles between the Western Hills Viaduct in Ohio and Dixie Highway in Kentucky.
The aim of the project is to improve safety and travel on the interstate connection that carries more than $700 billion worth of freight every year.
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