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

A Licking River bridge at Newport was authorized in 1830.

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

Analysis of the failure.

 

Five shares in the Licking Bridge Company, 1845

 

Newport, 1930 Flood 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.	“This strange truss bridge was built at some unknown date to replace the 1854 suspension bridge (probably 1880/90), and was itself replaced at some date by the existing bridge (c. 1935).”  Thanks to Dr. Joseph Gastright for this info

 

   

Licking River Bridge

Licking River Bridge between Covington and Newport, but it's not the Memorial Bridge, it's not the forerunner to Memorial, it's not the Shortway or the successor to the Shortway, and it's neither of the railroad bridges.  The style of the card is going to be c. 1910.  And what's with that stone wall in the foreground?

“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

 

World War Veterans Memorial Bridge

 

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	Memorial Bridge,  from Newport

 

“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

 

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

 

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