$1.6 Billion for Ohio River Bridge Included in Latest Federal Grant Announcements

The Biden administration this week spanned the country to announce over $2 billion in grant funding for bridge projects.

1 minute read

January 5, 2023, 7:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Three bridges span the Ohio River between Covington and Cincinnati.

From left to right: C&O Railroad Bridge, Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, and the Brent Spence Bridge. | Rosamar / Shutterstock

The Biden administration announced $2 billion in funding for bridges around the country this week, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

The president made the announcement on Wednesday at the Brent Spence Bridge—a crucial connection over the Ohio River between Covington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio and the recipient of $1.6 billion in funding. Other members of the Biden administration attended events coinciding with the new bridge grants in San Francisco, Chicago, and New London (Connecticut).

The news about the $1.6 billion in funding for the Brent Spence Bridge broke last week, with sources around the internet reporting the source for the funding as the MEGA grant program for large regional projects. A Tuesday press release from the White House, however, credited the funding to the first year of grant awards from the Large Bridge Project Grants from the IIJA’s Bridge Investment Program.

“Other DOT programs funded by the [Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act] have also made significant investments in bridge repair and replacement,” according to the press release. “Beyond the Bridge Investment Program awards announced today, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced over $11 billion to upgrade the nation’s bridges.”

More news about the improvements planned for the Brent Spence Bridge on the Ohio River can be found at the Cincinnati Enquirer.

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