NEWPORT, Ky. — Northern Kentucky leaders are warning that a new state law could significantly delay public works projects and drive up costs across the region.
House Bill 542 will now require property value pre-project and post-project appraisals for every property bordering road or public works projects done by KYTC, or that use federal funds.
Local leaders say the added requirements will create multiple new steps in the project approval process, pushing back timelines and increasing expenses before construction even begins.
WATCH: Northern Kentucky leaders share public project impacts from new change in state law
Newport Assistant City Manager Brian Steffen said the impact is already being felt.
"We have a very simple grant right now that is replacing the brick pavers that are in the sidewalk areas along Monmouth Street," Steffen said. "The initial estimate for the environmental and engineering cost was about $8,000. That's gone to $80,000."
One of the largest projects now affected in Newport is planned sidewalk, lighting and roadway safety improvements along US-27 from Carothers Road to the Southgate city limits. That project was first introduced in 2019 and is now expected to be delayed another year and a half to two years.
"Adding 18 months to that project where it's already been delayed for various reasons over the years is really detrimental to it," Steffen said.
Julia Brossart with the Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana Regional Council of Governments said the effects of the law will be felt broadly across the region.
"OKI projects have federal money and local money in them, and we want those to be as efficient and effective as possible. So when we add time, we're adding cost and potentially not using those dollars as effectively as could be," Brossart said.
Northern Kentucky resident Sara Dean said she worries the new requirements will worsen what she called the seemingly never-ending construction projects in the area.
"There have been a lot of construction projects in the area. A lot by my house that have actually changed the route that I take to get home. It's added a good 15 minutes or so, and it doesn't seem like there's any end in sight," Dean told WCPO 9 on Sunday. "I worry that, I mean, is it going to take more resources? So if it's taking longer, does that mean more money is going to be spent on the project?"
We reached out to every sponsor of HB-542 for a statement on this change but have not yet heard back.
