Making good on his promise to “fix that damn bridge,” President Joe Biden will make a stop in Covington on Wednesday.
“The President will deliver remarks on how his economic plan is rebuilding our infrastructure, creating good-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, and revitalizing communities left behind,” the White House stated in a press release.
The president will be joined by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to tout the progress of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The stop in NKY is one of many in a nationwide effort by the Biden administration to engage with the public about the administration’s work to pass the 2021 bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The recent injection of $1.6 billion from two federal grants toward the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project will likely be addressed in his speech.
Securing the funding was one of the first steps toward the building of a companion bridge to the aging Brent Spence Bridge. The lion’s share of that grant money comes from the Bridge Investment Program and will be distributed over multiple years with an agreement between Ohio and Kentucky transportation departments.
The awarded funds did not come easy, as U.S. Reps. Steve Chabot, Brad Wenstrup, and Warren Davidson from Ohio, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, and U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie from Kentucky all voted against the bill, but then flipped their opposition and offered support for federal funds for the Brent Spence project.
Covington Communications Manager Dan Hassert said Sunday that the city is grateful to Biden and Beshear for their part in making sure the issues on the bridge are addressed without tolls.
“We have been saying for years that this bridge must be fixed without tolls, and the fact that the president and the governor have come to that position themselves, we are very grateful for that,” Hassert said.
Hassert also said that the city is working to make sure Covington leaves a good impression on the president and his team.
“Primarily we wanted to show how appreciative we are to the president and Gov. Beshear when it comes to modernizing the infrastructure,” he said.
Concerns over the construction of the companion bridge forcing residents in the path of the project to relocate have been voiced, with others worried about sound walls, speeding, and safety. The City of Covington has held public information sessions where residents can ask questions, learn about the design of the companion bridge, and provide input to project leaders.
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Written by Alecia Ricker. Cross-posted from Link NKY.
