COVINGTON, KY — Winston Avenue has long been one of Covington's busiest — and bumpiest — roads.
But now, help is on the way. The City of Covington has secured a $4.1 million federal grant from the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments.
Neighbors who drive the corridor know the problem well.
"You gotta stay in the far lane; the right lane is just all potholes," Covington neighbor Kenny Thomas said.
Fellow neighbor Tylor Hamblin described the same daily struggle.
"It's very rough. Everybody likes to merge on one side to avoid the larger bumps, but it's inevitable. You're going to get it either way," Hamblin said.
The grant will fund more than a quick fix.
WATCH: All the improvements now set to come to Covington's bumpy Winston Ave
"This is a rebuild of Winston Avenue that will include pedestrian areas for walkway, bicycle lanes, etc," Covington Mayor Ron Washington told WCPO 9 News on Tuesday. "It will also have islands in the middle of Winston Avenue that will provide not only safety but also greenery."
This comes after WCPO 9 News reported back in August about the city's frustration with the lack of state action along that vital corridor. Now, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is planning to repair cracked pavement for a smoother drive along Winston Avenue — from E. 42nd Street to Covington's Grand Avenue.
"We know there's a lot more work to be done. We're pushing on our state partners to help as much as possible and bring them to the table," Mayor Washington said Tuesday.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet also told WCPO in August that simply repaving and repatching Winston Avenue won't be enough. Instead, officials said a full base replacement will be needed for that road. Mayor Washington agrees with that KYTC assessment.
"It's beyond patching. It's beyond repaving. It has to be rebuilt," Mayor Washington said.
However, Covington leaders say they're still going to need more help from state officials to make that happen and complete those improvements along Winston Avenue.
"We're going to match as much as possible for the OKI grant, but it's for our state partners to realize how important this corridor is for Latonia and for Covington," Mayor Washington said.
You can find more information about the $4.1 million grant and the planned improvements to follow on the City of Covington website by clicking here.
You can also find more information about KYTC's planned Winston Avenue maintenance project by clicking here.
