The first suspension bridge over the Licking from Covington to Newport cost $80,000,  opened December 28, 1853, and collapsed January 16, 1854 under vibration from cattle crossing it.			Or, maybe the first bridge was this very early covered bridge,prior to the bridge at the left. Details

Analysis of the 1854 failure.

A Licking River bridge at Newport was authorized in 1830.

A Licking River bridge at Newport was authorized in 1834.

Dr. Paul Tenkotte has written about the 1853 bridge at this site.

 

Five shares in the Licking Bridge Company, 1845

The 1886 Bridge Opens. Details.

But before the opened it, they had to test it: 24 teams of horses pulling 300 tons.

Newport, 1930 Flood	The 1886 Bridge
This bridge is a forerunner to the current span over the Licking River between Covington and Newport  The bridge end's on Patterson, between 4th and 5th Streets.

 

“Colonel Todd, President of the Newport and Covington Bridge Company, stopped the cars of the Newport Street Railroad Company from crossing the bridge on Tuesday afternoon, and will not allow them to resume running over it until the company pays the amount they owe to the City of Covington for tolls, which is about $650. It is also understood that the bridge directors will not comply with the recommendation of the Newport Council to permit the street cars to cross the bridge at the rate of $100 per car annually. They demand a half cent per passenger.” Courier-Journal, September 16, 1869

 

   

Licking River Bridge

“The old sycamore tree at the west end of the Newport and Covington Bridge, which has withstood the storms of probably three hundred years, as well as the floods of the Licking River during the period, was washed away by the recent freshet in that turbulent stream.  It was a familiar landmark to many, and it will be missed.” From the Covington Journal, April 13, 1872

 

The Licking River Bridge was not the way to go in the 1937 Flood. Note Immaculate Conception in the background.	Cincinnati from the Licking Bridge	Newport, from the East End of the 4th Street Bridge

The bridge on it's 74th anniversary.
From a Facebook post by Bev Achzehner Harber

Fourth Street Bridge, January, 1936

Getting the bridge ready to open, 1936

 

Looking toward Newport

 

Looking toward Covington

 

The 4th Street Bridge, from Covington, 1909. That's a toll house on the right. The bridge was “freed” on March 1, 1936		Newport-Covington  Bridge, 1908

Bridge named, 1935.

New Memorial Bridge thrown open, 1936

The “hectic history” of the bridge, 1936

The first attempt to build a bridge over the Licking at 11th Street collapsed, killing 40.  The Enquirer's story is here.	The second Short Way Bridge opened on December 18, 1892.	The Kentucky Post ran this drawing of the new bridge (#2) the day it opened, with this story.

Replacing the Short Way (#4)
Bridge, taken from Newport side

Two different styles of passes for the Shortway Bridge #3 Thanks to Jim Baker for contributing these images.
The third Shortway opened on April 7, 1915.

 

Route 8 Bridge, Mile 0.3.	12th Street Bridge, 0.9 miles	L & N and Pipeline Bridges, 3.0 miles

What if we open the pipeline bridge to regular traffic?

 

The Shortway #3, in the 1937 Flood

 

C & O Railroad Bridge Across the Licking That's Covington's St. Ben's in the far distant right	L & N Bridge over the Licking between Wilder and Latonia

“The reconstruction of the bridge over the Licking River was authorized in December, 1924, in order to provide for the movement of heavier locomotives between DeCoursey, Ky., and Cincinnati, Ohio.  This work was commenced in February, 1925, and it is expected that it will be completed during the year.”  L & N Annual Report, 1924

 

And then there was that guy who jumped into the Licking at Newport, fully clothed, in contemplation of swimming to Memphis, here.

The new bridge over the Licking River at Visalia, west of Alexandria

 

Design Studies for replacing the 4th Street Bridge, 2023