Closed since May, the bridge is now back open to pedestrian and bike traffic from Cincinnati to Newport. Repairs have been made to keep the bridge safe after a large piece of sandstone fell from a structural support column. The image below shows additional supports recently installed.
The Purple People Bridge is the only major pedestrian & bike oriented bridge in the city. The bridge was originally opened in 1872 as the first railroad bridge crossing the Ohio River and connecting Ohio to Kentucky. Around 1904, the western portion of the bridge was renovated and repaved to allow for vehicles to cross it. A streetcar line crossed the river where the pedestrian walkway is today, but service was terminated by the 1940’s. By 1987 the easternmost portion discontinued heavy rail service, and the rails were removed. In 2001, the bridge was given the National Register of Historic Places designation and permanently closed to vehicle traffic. Since then, bikers and pedestrians have been able to safely walk across state lines.
In response to the connectivity, development has spurred on both sides of the river. Today Newport on the Levee houses AMC Theaters, bars, restaurants, mini golf, the Newport Aquarium, and much more. As soon as 2026, it will be the new home to a Margaritaville hotel and restaurant tower. On the Ohio side of the river, a new mixed use / residential building opened in 2022; providing the 344+ residents easy access to Northern Kentucky and all of Cincinnati’s downtown attractions. Walkable and accessible neighborhoods drive development and are key to growing cities like Newport and Cincinnati.
Looking to the future of the Purple People Bridge, let's take a quick journey back in time. In 2002, the City of Cincinnati unfortunately voted down a proposition for a regional light rail and streetcar system. This comprehensive system would have connected the city in an opportunistic way. In an academic study done by David Cole, The Red Line (pictured below) would have carried light rail across the Purple People bridge on the eastern side that is currently unused. This line would service Newport and bring passengers through downtown to Union Terminal, where the Amtrak station is today. Looking to the future, there could be a possibility of this map coming to life with more federal funding being focused on passenger rail.
The Purple People Bridge has become a vital connection between Cincinnati and Newport as many people cross it to get to work, socialize, or just go on a walk. It's exciting to see a historic piece of infrastructure have a second life and intriguing to see what could happen in the future for this bridge.
Be sure to attend the upcoming events to help raise money for repainting and future repairs!
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