Brent Spence Bridge
NBI Information
Location
State: Kentucky
County: Kenton County
Feature Carried: I-75
Feature Crossed: Ohio River
Latitude, Longitude: 39.0906,-84.5225
Toll: On free road
Maintenance Responsibility: State Highway Agency
Structure Open, Posted, or Closed to Traffic: Open, no restriction
History
Year Built: 1963
Historical Significance: Bridge is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
Year Reconstructed: None
Picture Date: April 24, 2026
Geometry
Lanes on Structure: 8
Lanes under Structure: 0
Skew: 0 degrees
Number of Main Spans: 3
Main Structure Type: Truss - Thru
Main Structure Material: Steel Continuous
Number of Approach Spans: None
Approach Structure Type: None
Approach Structure Material: None
Condition
Inspection Date: September 2024
Deck Condition: Fair
Superstructure Condition: Fair
Substructure Condition: Fair
Channel Condition: Good
Culvert: Not Applicable
NBI Year: 2025
Bridge Information
The Brent Spence Bridge opened in November 1963 and is a cantilevered warren through truss. It is a rare example of a double-deck bridge, meaning it has two deck levels. The bridge carries southbound traffic on the upper deck and northbound traffic on the lower deck.
The bridge was originally designed to carry three lanes in each direction. In 1985, the shoulders were removed, and an additional lane was added in each direction. By 2004, the bridge was unable to keep up with the traffic demand, which led to The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Ohio Department of Transportation beginning a study to improve the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor. The project stagnated until 2022 when the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided funding for the project.
The core of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project is construction of a new, cable-stayed, double-decker bridge to carry I-71 and I-75. The project will also make improvements to eight miles of approach roadways and redesign the ramp configurations. The Brent Spence Bridge will be refurbished to carry local traffic between downtown Cincinnati and Covington. Construction began in March of 2026, and the new bridge is expected to open in 2031, with approach work continuing to 2033.
References
Brent Spence Bridge Corridor. https://brentspencebridgecorridor.com/. Accessed 22 July 2026.
Holth, Nathan. “Brent Spence Bridge.” Historic Bridges, 25 Feb. 2021, https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=ohio/brentspence/. Accessed 22 July 2026.
“States Break Ground on Brent Spence Bridge Project.” Aashto, 15 May 2026, https://aashtojournal.transportation.org/states-break-ground-on-brent-spence-bridge-project/. Accessed 22 July 2026.
“Brent Spence Bridge.” OKI Regional Council of Governments, https://www.oki.org/news-events/brent-spence-bridge/. Accessed 22 July 2026.
