COVINGTON, Ky. — A reconfiguration of the 12th Street Bridge will begin this week, possibly as early as Wednesday, according to an announcement from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
The reconfiguration of the bridge, also known as the Girl Scout Bridge, which connects Covington and Newport over the Licking River, will see a reduction in the number of vehicle lanes but the addition of two bike lanes.
“Whether on four wheels or two feet, this type of project is just another example of our ongoing commitment to ensure our infrastructure can accommodate everyone,” said Bob Yeager, KYTC District 6 chief district engineer, in the announcement.
The reconfiguration follows months of collaboration between the cabinet, the two cities, and the local transportation advocacy group, the Devou Good Foundation. The hope is to address safety concerns raised by residents.
Matt Butler with the Devou Good Foundation praised the development in a statement.
"Transforming the Girl Scout Bridge into a safe connection for all road users, especially the most vulnerable who live adjacent to it, has long been a community priority. These safety improvements are an important first step, and we look forward to working with the community to create safer connections throughout the Greater Cincinnati area," Butler said.
The bridge currently has two vehicle lanes in each direction, no bike lanes, and only one sidewalk on the south side of the bridge. The reconfiguration will reduce the vehicle lanes to one in each direction, “with a bike lane separated by a buffer that includes vertical delineators utilizing the remaining width on each side of the bridge,” according to the cabinet’s announcement.
The cabinet will also install a stop sign on the Covington side at 12th Street and Wheeler Avenue in an effort to reduce speeds and create awareness of cyclists and pedestrians going onto the bridge.
The push for safety improvements gained momentum following the death of Gloria San Miguel, who was killed in a hit-and-run crash while biking across a nearby bridge. Emily Webster, who works at Roebling Books and Coffee in Covington, says these changes represent an important shift in community priorities.
"I think Gloria would be really pleased to know that people are moving forward," Webster said. "She was not just someone who was using a bike, but she was someone who was very interested in furthering community causes like safe roadways. And so this would be a beautiful closure of some kind for the legacy that she left of activism and community involvement."
WATCH: We hear from Webster about how San Miguel's death heightened the push for safety developments
Once complete, drivers from the Covington side will need to move into the left lane on 12th Street to get on the bridge; drivers in the right lane will have to turn onto Wheeler. Drivers from Newport will be able to turn either left onto Wheeler Avenue or right onto Prospect Street.
Crews will begin installing message boards Wednesday morning, warning drivers of the changes. Stop sign installation on the Covington side will also begin around this time.
Drivers should expect single lane closures on KY-1120 from west of Wheeler Avenue in Kenton County to Brighton Street in Campbell County. Once the stop signs have been installed, crews will begin re-striping the road and bridge.
"It's something where we truly come together as a community and realize that not everybody drives, not everybody wants to drive, and we want to make that truly usable for all of those more vulnerable users," Webster said.
On Thursday, crews will install ground markings to enhance visibility and safety. Delineators will be installed once all of the stripping is complete.
