SOUTHGATE, KY — For years, Southgate neighbors and leaders have watched as the sidewalks along US-27 have crumbled underfoot and become a public safety risk.
For Southgate Mayor Jim Hamburg, the problem goes beyond appearances.
"Aesthetics are one thing, but actually workable and using things, that's something else. But the sidewalk you can see is deteriorated. The curb is gone," Hamburg said.
Now, the Ohio Kentucky Indiana Regional Council of Governments has approved $662,000 in funding to help revamp that corridor, improving pedestrian safety and accessibility along the road.
Shelly Reutter's late husband often used his wheelchair through that area to get groceries.
"He would often have to cross the street multiple times or sometimes even go into the street the way it is ... where there is, I would like to call them sidewalk potholes that completely inhibit access," Reutter said.
WATCH: How new federal grant will look to address safety concerns along US-27
The funding will go toward a full rebuild of the pedestrian corridor.
"What you're going to look at is they're going to redo the sidewalk, put new curbs in, also work this wall is what they'll do too. They take the wall out and put a new wall in here," Mayor Hamburg said.
The grant is part of a broader $65 million recently awarded to public transportation projects across the Cincinnati area.
"In Northern Kentucky, nearly all of the projects have a bike and pedestrian feature in them," said Bob Koehler of the OKI Regional Council of Governments.
Southgate leaders hope this is the first of many more improvements to come.
"The goal is to go all the way from here with maybe two more phases, at least two or three," Mayor Hamburg explained.
Phase one of the improvements is expected to begin in 2030.
You can find a list of other projects included in OKI's $65 million in funding by CLICKING HERE.
