Then-President Joe Biden shakes hands after delivering remarks on plans for a companion bridge and other improvements to the Brent Spence Corridor, Jan. 4, 2023 in Covington. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Michael Clubb)
This story is republished from LINK nky.
Uncertainty has arisen about the future of the Brent Spence Corridor Project following the passage of executive orders from President Donald Trump, who took office Jan. 20.
Specifically, the worries stem from language in one of the executive orders that mandates “all agencies shall immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the [Inflation Reduction Act of 2022] or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” the latter of which is a primary funding source for the $3.6 billion corridor project.
The bridge project is tied up with numerous contracts and sub-contracts, and the language of the order — seemingly — indicates the cessation of contract payments, which could confound the project’s construction and imperil its purported future economic benefits. These outcomes aren’t guaranteed, however, and most regional leaders are confident in the project’s staying power.
Brent Cooper, the president and CEO of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, told LINK nky in a phone call that he’d been getting calls from business people around the region, particularly from the logistics sector, who were worried the executive order could imperil the bridge. While he admitted that “at this point, we really don’t know,” there was not currently any indication the project would be derailed.
“As of right now, all the information we have is the bridge will stay on track,” Cooper said, adding that people should continue going about business as if it will.
“At this point, nobody believes the order will impact a project of this magnitude,” Cooper said.
The office of Gov. Andy Beshear seemed to share this view.
“The Brent Spence Bridge corridor is important because it will improve safety and traffic flow along the vitally important I-71/75 national corridor and boost economic growth throughout the region,” said Crystal Staley, a spokeswoman for Beshear’s office, in a statement to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. “While Gov. Beshear does have serious concerns about the executive order, he is not concerned about the long-term availability of funds for the project. President Trump previously promised to build the companion bridge, and now he has the chance to keep his commitment.”
The bridge project floundered for years due to lack of funding but was revived in 2022 due to bipartisan advocacy efforts from elected leaders in both Ohio and Kentucky. Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine, a Republican, and Kentucky Gov. Beshear, a Democrat, as well as Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Republican who represents Kentucky, came out in support of the project (McConnell voted to pass the infrastructure bill in 2021).
Upon its passage, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocated $108 billion of federal money for public transportation projects, the largest federal allocation for transportation projects in U.S. history, according to the Federal Transit Administration.
The Trump White House released a memo laying out the intentions of the executive order on Jan. 21. The memo does not mention the bridge project by name but states, “this [disbursement] pause only applies to funds supporting programs, projects or activities that may be implicated by the policy established in Section 2 of the order. This interpretation is consistent with section 7’s heading (‘Terminating the Green New Deal’) and its reference to the ‘law and the policy outlined in section 2 of th[e] order.’
“For the purposes of implementing section 7 of the Order, funds supporting the ‘Green New Deal’ refer to any appropriations for objectives that contravene the policies established in section 2. Agency heads may disburse funds as they deem necessary after consulting with the Office of Management and Budget.”
In other words, the order was designed to curtail funding for a slate of environmental projects often referred to as the Green New Deal, suggesting that projects like the Brent Spence Corridor would not be affected. Federal department heads connected to projects have 90 days to submit reports to the National Economic Council and the federal Office of Management and Budget for review.
McConnell’s office has yet to release an official statement on the issue, but Stephanie Penn, one of McConnell’s press secretaries, told LINK nky in a phone call that the senator would continue to advocate for the economic interests of both the state and the region.
The City of Covington, which advocated for flood mitigation measures in Peaselburg and the removal of tolls from the new companion bridge as part of the project, likewise assured residents they were continuing to advocate for the region’s economic interests.
“The City of Covington is working with our federal, regional and state partners to ensure that the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project remains a top priority for infrastructure investment,” Covington’s Director of External Affairs and Senior Counsel Sebastian Torres said.
“Over two billion dollars of commerce crosses the Brent Spence Bridge on a daily basis,” said Covington Mayor Ron Washington. “Therefore, the need to invest in this major infrastructure project is a top bipartisan goal for our entire region. I am confident that the White House recognizes the value and urgency of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, as well as the need to invest in the region’s other infrastructure priorities.”
LINK nky will report more on this situation as it develops.