NEWPORT — A pedestrian bridge connecting Covington and Newport at the mouth of the Licking River and a river shuttle between entertainment venues on the Ohio and Kentucky shores are among the ideas in a Southbank Partners report.

        The proposed walkway, running from the Riverside Drive neighborhood in Covington to Newport's James Taylor Park, would eventually stretch from Ludlow to Dayton, Ky., according to Southbank President Wally Pagan.

        The shuttle is expected to be operating by summer 2003, in time for the opening of the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

        “These (ideas) are part of an overall plan to expand access along the riverfront and bring more people to the river cities and the entertainment venues available,” Mr. Pagan said.

        “We want visitors to eventually be able to walk along the riverfront from each city to the next.”

        Other plans in the report from Southbank, a nonprofit organization formed in 1997 by Northern Kentucky business and civic leaders to encourage development in the river cities, include:

        • A breakwater where the Licking River empties into the Ohio to force debris farther away from the Covington shoreline.

        • Continued efforts toward construction of a bridge over the Licking River between Fourth and Fifth streets in Newport and Fourth Street in Covington, replacing the present bridge.

        • Opposition to attempts in the Kentucky General Assembly to do away with the insurance premium tax, which accounts for between 7 percent and 30 percent of the budgets of six river cities.

        “We will ask state legislators to leave the tax intact, because any reduction or elimination would be devastating to city budgets,” Mr. Pagan said. “If there is a change, it needs to be a complete tax reform.”

        Covington Assistant City Manager Tom Steidel said he was not certain that a pedestrian bridge between Covington and Newport at that location was necessary.

        “I think the river walkway could go where it goes now, across the Fourth Street Bridge,” he said. “It takes people through the neighborhood and over to the floodwall on the Newport side. It's a very attractive walk. I think it's more important to finish the parts of the walkway along the (Ohio) river.

        “There is no question that people will use the walkway.”

        Mr. Steidel said he was in favor of a breakwall at the mouth of the Licking River to keep debris away from the Covington Landing entertainment area.

        Newport City Manager Phil Ciafardini said he supported a pedestrian link of Covington and Taylor Park because it would help promote Newport's riverfront events.

        “Any time you can have connection city-to-city, especially Newport to Covington, it's a real asset,” he said. “We have a number of events held on the river now, with more to come, and that connection will be very useful, very functional, in bringing people to the events like Italianfest and the Arts and Music Festival.”

        Southbank also is promoting a proposal that would provide a 20 percent tax credit in the state for owner/occupants and investors rehabilitating properties in historic districts.

        Most of the Southbank proposals depend on acquisition of grants and other funding.

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