Support a Safer Girl Scout Bridge
The existing “Girl Scout Bridge” on 11th Street (KY 1120) over the Licking River between Covington and Newport is a critical but unsafe connection for people walking, biking, and using mobility devices. Devou Good Foundation (DGF) is proposing to improve safety on the bridge by funding the repurposing of the northern drive lane into a two-way protected bike and mobility lane. On August 20, 2022, Gloria San-Miguel was riding her bike across the bridge when a driver struck and killed her. There are no bike lanes and only one sidewalk on the south side of the bridge. More than 60% of drivers exceed the already too high limit of 30 MPH and almost 25% of drivers recklessly endanger themselves and others by exceeding 50 MPH. There are no other safe alternatives to cross the Licking River for people that live in the neighborhoods adjacent to the bridge where 65% (Covington) and 30% (Newport) are BIPOC populations and approximately 40% of all households have no vehicle available according to the 2020 US Census. DGF, Covington, Newport, and KYTC have agreed that improving safety on the bridge is an immediate priority. The goal of this project is to improve safety on the bridge for all road users. Not only will it create a safe, physically separated lane for our most vulnerable populations, it will also improve safety for those in cars by naturally reducing driver speed.
DGF convened meetings with the Cities of Newport and Covington and KYTC District 6’s representative. We proposed several solutions and brokered an agreement between the three entities which led to The City of Newport signing a KYTC Application for Encroachment Permit on 10/5/2022 to build the protected bike lane. Throughout the process we have been in communication with KYTC and even paid for their senior engineer to attend bikeway design training in Portland, OR. While we provided several viable safety countermeasures (including the immediate placement of waterwall barrier which we own), KYTC is in a pattern of backtracking on every verbal and email agreement with DGF. They violated planning and engineering norms and wasted our time and money (after taking many weeks to review our submitted plans) by requesting we submit a set of final stamped plans by a licensed KY engineer as well as stamped structural calculations. We complied and they rejected the plans that they requested. Further, they have not been able to effectively communicate with one voice what they will accept. Keith Lovan, State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator who reports to Secretary of Transportation, Jim Gray has tried but not been able to get the project approved. At this point, it feels as if KYTC is just hoping we will lose steam and get tired of spending money. We know, however, that this project is too important to the citizens of both cities and change needs to be made for the safety and well-being of all.
DGF already paid for construction plans and structural calculations. We are also proposing to fund the construction phase of the bike lane. KYTC agreed that the bridge is overbuilt and the volume of automobile traffic on the bridge doesn’t warrant four drive lanes. Through the repurposing of a drive lane into a protected bike lane on Clifton Ave. in Cincinnati, OH, Cincinnati DOTE reported a reduction in driver speed and subsequent crashes that cause serious injuries. While the most egregious speeding was reduced, average driver speed remained about the same allowing those in cars to travel through at about the same rate as before. International research also supports this type of safety countermeasure as does the FHWA. If we save one life or prevent someone from being seriously injured by drivers, the investment will be worthwhile. In NKY, we as a community prioritize safety over driver convenience.
We need KYTC to approve the plans submitted or provide other designs that provide a similar magnitude of safety for all road users, especially the most vulnerable at a similar construction cost. By withholding their approval, they are signaling to the community that they do not prioritize safety for all road users and only further the frustration of local leaders and community advocates with the Transportation Cabinet.
Voice your support by sending a message to Governor Andy Beshear to ask him to tell KYTC to approve the plans for a Safer Girl Scout Bridge.
