NEWPORT, Ky. — After being partially closed for the past six months, the Purple People Bridge reopens Friday.
What You Need To Know
- The Purple People Bridge reopen on Friday after being closed to most foot traffic for the past six months
- The pedestrian bridge closed in May after stones from one of its piers fell into the Ohio River
- Repairs included installing a steel support beam
- Hundreds of walkers, bicyclists use the bridge as a safe way to venture between Cincinnati and Newport, Ky.
To mark the event, a private ribbon-cutting takes place at 5 p.m. At 6 p.m., officials will light the bridge and Wish Tree for the annual Winter Nights River Lights holiday display. The bridge reopens to the public at that time as well.
"This is an exciting time for cities on both sides of the river," said Will Weber, president of the Newport Southbank Bridge Company, which owns the bridge.
The pedestrian bridge connecting the Cincinnati and Newport, Ky. riverfronts closed May 11 after stones from one of its piers fell into the Ohio River. It was the bridge's northernmost pier (Pier 1) on the Cincinnati side of the river.
At that time, the Bridge Company closed the Purple People Bridge. They later provided limited access to the bridge from Kentucky.
Weber said the region has been plagued by several local bridge closures or repairs in recent months, including the Brent Spence and the John A. Roebling Suspension bridges. But he said the Purple People Bridge is a "unique community asset" that some people may have taken for granted until it was temporarily taken away.
The 2,670-foot-long — or just over a half a mile — bridge connects Sawyer Point Park and Yeatman's Cove in Cincinnati to Third Street in Newport, just outside the Newport on the Levee entertainment area.
Gabriella Isadore, the Levee's general manager, called the Purple People Bridge "an extended amenity" for guests.
"We’ve seen millions of people incorporate the bridge into their everyday routine, which has benefitted us by organically bringing visitors over the river to explore our offerings," she added.
The Levee recently underwent redevelopment earlier this year and introduced more than 20 new, locally owned concepts. They're ramping up for the holiday season, starting Saturday with Light Up the Levee.
"The increase in foot traffic will help our small businesses tremendously. We’re so proud to serve as a sponsor for Winter Nights River Lights and couldn’t be more excited for the ribbon-cutting ceremony," Isadore said.
Weber said the bridge makes it easy for walkers, runners and bicyclists to safely cross the Ohio River. It's not just a cut-through though; it also serves as host for various events throughout the year, including Party on the Purple, a weekly concert series in warmer months.
"I think the closure of the Purple People Bridge in particular hit home for so many people who use it every day as a pedestrian connection and a way to get across the river for work, or fun, or socializing," he said. "It's going to be great for our residents and our cities that this vibrant placemaking tool and economic development tool will once again connect these entertainment districts and these two cities."
Repairs and moving forward
The Bridge Company retained the services of the engineering firm WSP USA Inc. in late May to review safety conditions on the bridge and determine next steps for reopening.
In June, WSP released a report saying Pier 1 had deteriorated to the point that it required repairs. The firm recommended completing the work before allowing pedestrians or bicyclists to use it.
The Bridge Company reviewed the recommendations with officials from the cities of Newport and Cincinnati before determining next steps, Weber said. Plans called for temporary fixes to ensure the bridge is structurally sound enough to reopen and then complete permanent repairs on a rolling basis over the next six months or so.
The Bridge Company raised more than $350,000 in donations from local foundations to help fund the repairs.
Crews installed a steel support beam underneath Pier 1 to disperse the weight across that area. They also added several jacks to "help stabilize the pier and ensure that we can reopen it safely," Weber said.
Weber described the work performed as "done out of an abundance of caution." He said considering the age of the bridge — it turns 150 next year — that they didn't want to take any chances. The piers are made out of natural sandstone and the concrete and the mortar between the stones can loosen over time with the "freeze and thaw" of the season change, he added.
"It’s just an ongoing maintenance to ensure that we're capping these (materials) appropriately and just making sure that we keep the bridge structurally sound moving forward,” he said, adding that they’ve put together a plan for ongoing maintenance. Weber said that will help them “get ahead” of any potential future issues with the aging sandstone piers.
The Bridge Company said the structural condition of Pier 1 did not impact the rest of the bridge. But WSP performed a survey of the entire structure as a precaution.
The section of the Purple People Bridge closest to Cincinnati remains closed, but crews did allow the Kentucky side of the bridge to open to the public, though without through traffic to Ohio.
Engineers allowed the bridge to temporarily reopen in mid-October for the American Cancer Society 5K.
"We're excited to have this bridge fully open through the holidays and the New Year," he said. “There may be a situation while we're doing some of the concrete work on the pier that we may have to close the bridge for a short time in the spring to allow the concrete to dry appropriately, but that will only be for a week or two.”
Plans call for the long-term repairs to finish up by summer 2022.