Kenton County residents have until Aug. 30, to weigh in on the federal transportation spending plan that funds the $4.05 billion Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project and other local road and bridge improvements through 2030.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet opened its draft FY 2027-2030 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program for public review on Aug. 1. The STIP is a four-year blueprint for every federally funded highway, bridge, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian project in the state.
"The plan offers the public a look at where we expect federal investments to be made in Kentucky over the next four years," KYTC Secretary Rebecca Goodman said in a statement reported by the NKY Tribune.
What's in it for Northern Kentucky
The draft STIP's headline item for this area is the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project, which is reconstructing approximately five miles of I-71/I-75 in Kentucky and building a new companion bridge over the Ohio River. Construction runs through 2033, and as we reported July 30, lane closures and ramp shutdowns are already affecting Fort Wright commuters.
The STIP links to the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Metropolitan Planning Organization's Transportation Improvement Plan, which covers Kenton County. The current OKI TIP, last amended in September 2025, lists projects that feed into the STIP, including:
- Crescent Springs: A $1.23 million sidewalk project on the Amsterdam Road (KY 371) Connector
- Crestview Hills: A sidewalk on US 25 (Dixie Highway) from Carran Drive to Whitehouse Drive
- Park Hills: Reconstruction of Amsterdam Road from Sleepy Hollow Road to Hamilton Road
Those projects are from the current OKI plan and are expected to carry forward into the new draft, though the updated STIP may reflect changes.
Separately, the 2026-2028 Kentucky Biennial Highway Construction Plan allocates more than $192 million for Kenton County projects. Among them: $21.4 million for US-25 improvements at Buttermilk Pike and Orphanage Road in Fort Mitchell, and $3.24 million in design work for the I-75 interchange at KY 236 (Donaldson Highway). Some of those state-funded projects may also carry federal dollars and appear in the STIP.
How to comment
The draft STIP is available online at transportation.ky.gov and at all 12 KYTC district highway offices. Comments can be submitted by mail or phone to James Ballinger, State Highway Engineer, KYTC, 200 Mero Street, 6th Floor, Frankfort, KY 40622, or by calling (502) 564-3730.
The Aug. 30 deadline is the only formal public input opportunity before the plan is finalized and submitted to the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration for approval.
