CINCINNATI – The City of Cincinnati Department of Transportation & Engineering (DOTE) will replace the existing Brighton Approach Bridge with a new span for vehicles and pedestrians. Design work on the replacement bridge will begin next month and construction is expected to start in late 2023 or early 2024.

The 96-year-old concrete bridge, which spans Central Parkway between Colerain Avenue and West McMicken Avenue, is in poor condition with widespread deterioration.

DOTE decided to replace the bridge after considering feedback from area residents, community councils and a variety of stakeholders in late 2021.

DOTE and its engineering consultant conducted a public meeting in October and met with surrounding community councils in the West End, CUF and Over-the-Rhine to discuss options. Those included the option of removing the bridge and building a new handicap-accessible pathway on a nearby hillside, building a new bridge for pedestrians only or replacing the existing bridge with a new one for vehicles and pedestrians.

“The concern which stood out most was the potential of losing the connection between neighborhoods that the current bridge provides,” said Brandon Lecrone, project manager. “There was a desire to keep that connection for both vehicles and pedestrians in order to promote safety, foster future development, and honor the historic and aesthetic significance of the bridge.”

The city has secured state, federal and local funding for the $5 million project.

Read more about the project.